Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said this during a speech at Ruprecht-Karl University in the German city of Heidelberg, Ukrinform reports.
The Polish Prime Minister emphasized that the ongoing war is being fought to defend common European values. Ukrainians are fighting not only for themselves, but also for the freedom of Europe.
"Our future depends on the outcome of this war and how it concludes. If Ukraine were to be defeated, it would signify the defeat of the West and the entire free world. Subsequently, Russia would feel emboldened, and an era of unpredictability would ensue," said Morawiecki.
In his statement, he likened Putin to Hitler, arguing that just as appeasement of Hitler in the 1930s encouraged him to act, the defeat of Ukraine would further embolden Putin and convince him not to be afraid of any consequences. According to Morawiecki, Putin expected the Ukrainians to surrender, choose peace, and pay any price for it, but he underestimated the Ukrainians' willingness to sacrifice their lives for their country.
Morawiecki also condemned Russia's false accusations of Ukrainians being fascists. He clarified that a fascist is someone who wants to destroy other nations, violates human rights, and tramples on human dignity. Therefore, Morawiecki labeled Vladimir Putin and all those who support him in the Russian aggression against Ukraine as fascists.
He stated his belief that Europeans have a duty to oppose Russian fascism, as it embodies the essence of European identity. Today, Ukrainians are reminding Europeans of what Europe should stand for - every person's right to security, freedom, and democracy.
Morawiecki also emphasized the necessity for stronger political will to support Ukraine. In particular, he called for the confiscation of Russian assets abroad to fund the reconstruction of Ukraine. "The violent aggressors must understand that they will eventually have to pay for the damage caused by their aggression. Today, I appeal to all European leaders: it's time to seize Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine and lower energy costs for Europeans," said the head of Poland's Council of Ministers.
According to Morawiecki, transatlantic cooperation has demonstrated that NATO is currently the most effective defense alliance in history.
The Polish Prime Minister has expressed his opinion that without the support of the USA and Poland, Ukraine would not exist as it does today. He further emphasized the importance of Finland and Sweden joining the North Atlantic Alliance in the near future for the security of Europe. The Prime Minister urged European countries to increase their defense spending budgets, citing Poland's allocation of up to 4% of its GDP for this purpose.
Morawiecki emphasized that Putin's attack on Ukraine was based on his belief in Europe's weakness, but the Polish Prime Minister added that the Russian dictator was mistaken. However, Europe has not won yet.
"The future of Europe is currently being shaped by the struggle of Ukrainians, who are fighting not only for themselves but also for us. We must support Ukrainians and take inspiration from their fighting spirit," he concluded.
On March 20, the majority of EU countries approved the plan to supply ammunition to Ukraine. However, there is no official announcement yet.