Polish and Swedish PMs enjoy a boat ride following Nordic-Baltic Summit

The meeting, which took place at Harpsund, about 120 kilometers from Stockholm, marked the second day of the informal summit, where the two leaders also signed a new strategic partnership agreement between Poland and Sweden. This partnership aims to strengthen ties in areas such as economic cooperation and security.

Tusk shared a photo from the event on social media, and expressed his gratitude for the invitation, writing: "Thank you for the invitation. You made everyone feel at home."

"Ever since the Harpsund estate was donated to the Swedish state in the mid-1950s, it has been a tradition to invite guests for a tour in the 'Harpsundsekan' rowing boat," Ulf Kristersson said on X.

"Today, Donald Tusk and I continued that tradition,"

On Thursday, the prime ministers of Poland and Sweden signed a new agreement aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson emphasized that this agreement makes the bond between the two countries stronger than ever, highlighting that "Poland's security is Sweden's security," as he stated during a joint press conference.

The Swedish government’s statement pointed out that the agreement will reinforce ties primarily in economic cooperation, competitiveness, and security matters, as well as issues related to Ukraine. In the area of economic cooperation, the two countries plan to organize a Polish-Swedish business summit, first in Sweden next year, and then in Poland. The summit will focus on supporting Ukrainian companies and discussing innovation collaboration.

Thursday marked the second and final day of the informal Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) summit, which includes not only Sweden but also Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

Prime Minister Tusk stressed that the meeting was held with "a full, unquestionable conviction" that the countries involved speak "exactly the same language" on key issues. "For the first time, we are dealing with such a united, but also solid, block of countries that think the same way about the most difficult matters, such as the war in Ukraine," he said.

Recalling that Poland will hold the presidency of the EU Council in January, followed by Denmark in July, Tusk expressed his hope that these two presidencies would set the tone for necessary changes in European philosophy.

Tusk also thanked Kristersson and other leaders for their interest in strengthening security in the Baltic Sea region, mentioning discussions about "Baltic Sea Policing." He noted that any potential joint actions would have to be part of NATO operations.

In this context, the Polish prime minister referenced the damage to two undersea telecommunication cables in Sweden's economic zone, stating that Stockholm's actions in this matter are "in the interest of all countries in the region."

Tusk also said that on Wednesday, he had been informed by the Norwegian prime minister that Norway would take on part of the responsibility for the security of the Rzeszów-Jasionka hub, through which 90% of aid to Ukraine passes. "Norway will support the security of this location with its systems," he added, highlighting that these actions are also taking place within the framework of NATO.