"The Guardian" states, "If anyone can warm Trump's heart towards Europe, it's Tusk."

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk may be the European politician capable of convincing newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump that closer European defense cooperation can strengthen NATO without undermining U.S. interests.

“While France and Germany are grappling with political crises, and Britain is sidelined due to Brexit, Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk may be the last national leader able to articulate Europe's response to Donald Trump's inevitable return to the White House,” writes Paul Taylor, a senior fellow at the Centre for European Policy, in a column for The Guardian.

The analyst notes that Europe, facing economic, diplomatic, and political threats from all sides, is poorly prepared for a new chapter where Vladimir Putin seeks to leverage his military advantage in Ukraine before Trump attempts to impose a peace deal that could harm the interests of Ukrainians and Europeans.

“Trump, who has suggested allowing Russia to do ‘whatever it wants’ with NATO countries that do not spend enough on defense, also threatens to impose massive tariffs on his closest allies, which could fracture Europe and spark a devastating transatlantic trade war,” Paul Taylor reminds us.

In contrast, Donald Tusk is an experienced politician who once chaired EU summits, defeated right-wing populists in Poland, and maintains good relations with the U.S., the United Kingdom, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. In the first half of 2025, Poland will take over the EU presidency from Hungary, giving it a chance to shape the agenda during these critical months. “Trump may dislike Brussels, but he has a fondness for Poland, where he was warmly welcomed during his first presidency,” believes Paul Taylor.

“French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban are vying to become Trump's main partner in Europe, but none can build a European consensus like the Polish leader,” writes Taylor.

“If anyone can warm his [Donald Trump's – ed.] heart towards Europe, it is Tusk,” said an unnamed former U.S. official who worked in Trump’s previous administration. The pro-American Polish leader is well-positioned to convince the nationalist Republican that closer European defense cooperation can enhance NATO without compromising U.S. interests.

Paul Taylor notes that after the parliamentary elections, Poland has regained its role as a political player in the European Union.

Throughout the year, Donald Tusk has warned that Europe must be prepared for the approaching war. Anticipating Trump's victory, he stated that Europeans would need to rely on their own capabilities, declaring that “the era of geopolitical outsourcing is over.”

“For historical reasons, Poles are acutely aware of the dangers of Russian hegemony and are determined to alert the rest of Europe about the need to bolster defense and economic security. Ahead of the EU presidency, Tusk has used his convening power to unite diverse coalitions to try to achieve these goals,” says Paul Taylor.

He highlights that Tusk is trying to play a prominent role in European leadership, which also strengthens his dominance in Poland.

At the same time, domestic politics may limit his ability to govern the EU in certain areas, and European affairs could even backfire on him. For instance, Tusk sided with Polish farmers and truck drivers in their protests against the unrestricted opening of the EU market to Ukrainian grain imports and carriers.

In 2022, Poland accepted, accommodated, and employed around 1 million Ukrainian refugees. However, a potential new influx of refugees following devastating Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure could strain Polish resources and fuel nationalist candidates in the presidential elections.

“Despite these internal pitfalls, Tusk seems to have a better chance than others to establish himself as Trump’s ‘whisperer’ in Europe and try to maintain unity in the divided EU in support of Ukraine, which is bracing for the ‘Donald’ hurricane,” concludes Paul Taylor.

Remember, Donald Trump’s inauguration will take place on January 20.