News about Donald Tusk

Counter-terrorism police are investigating whether Russia was behind an incendiary device being hidden inside a package on a plane heading for Britain, before it burst into flames at a DHL centre in Minworth, Birmingham (right) after landing. The revelation comes just a day after German intelligence warned a similar incident at a DHL centre in Leipzig (left), also in late-July, came close to causing a fatal plane crash. The incidents in Birmingham and Leipzig are thought to be part of a wider spate of attempts by Russian spies to 'generate mayhem', head of MI5 Ken McCullum (inset) has warned.

A suspected sabotage nearly caused a flight to crash in Germany earlier this year when a package destined for its cargo hold burst into flames before it was loaded. One of the country's spy chiefs warned of an increase in 'aggressive behaviour' from Kremlin-sponsored agents. The head of Germany's intelligence service, Thomas Haldenwang, said that a disaster was narrowly averted after the parcel ignited on the ground at a DHL logistics centre in Leipzig rather than onboard the aircraft in mid-air as intended. It remains unclear to whom the parcel was sent or who was behind the attack, despite security services working on the basis that Russia was involved in the near-crash.

The new controls will be in place for an initial six months and are expected to include temporary structures at land crossings and spot checks by federal police.  It comes as the coalition government looks to show its seriousness about efforts to tackle irregular migration following a spate of Islamist attacks in recent months that have galvanised groups on the far-right.

Storm Boris has brought a 'catastrophe of epic proportions' to Europe this weekend, after seven people including a firefighters on a rescue mission tragically died in floods caused by the torrential rains.  Storm Boris, a slow moving low-pressure system, set off heavy rain on Friday that has carried on over the weekend. It brought a month's worth of rain in just 24 hours to Poland, Romania, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, along with heavy winds.   A firefighter died during a flood rescue mission in an Austrian province declared a disaster zone, it was announced today. Four people were killed in south eastern Romania yesterday in the worst-affected region, Galati, where 5,000 homes were damaged. 

Interior minister Nancy Faeser, of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's struggling Social Democrat party (SPD), announced Monday that harsher restrictions would be implemented across Germany's 2,300-mile land border from September 16. The drastic move represents the first time controls have been placed on all the country's borders since the creation of the Schengen Area in the 1990s. It also sparked outcry from a slew of European leaders and officials, many of whom said it goes against the EU's principle of free movement on the continent and implored Germany to work on securing the bloc's external borders - not simply push migrants back into neighbouring countries. Swedish MEP Charlie Weimers of the Sweden Democrats party told MailOnline: 'If we don't secure the external border then internal border controls will become the norm. That a left-liberal German government re-institutes border checks highlights the madness of Merkel's policy and that the debate in Europe has shifted.'

Sir Keir Starmer will today meet Britain's former Brexit foe Donald Tusk as he 'fires the starting gun' on resetting relations with the European Union. The Prime Minister will use a summit in Oxfordshire to urge European leaders to leave Brexit wounds in the past and push for deeper cooperation to tackle small boats crossings. Today's summit, which is being hosted by Sir Keir at Blenheim Palace, will be attended by 45 European leaders and is expected to be dominated by illegal migration. It will also focus on energy security and defending democracy amid the war in Ukraine.

A Polish border guard was killed last month by a group of spear-throwing migrants as they attempted to cross the border into Europe, as officials say a surge in arrivals through Belarus is Putin's latest war tactic against the West.  21-year-old Sgt Mateusz Sitek from the Polish village of Nowy Lubiel was killed after a group of migrants reportedly from Africa and the Middle East attempting to cross the Polish border hurled a volley of makeshift weapons at officers. Several more were injured during the clash. 

Candidates from the hard-right have already scooped 38 confirmed seats by winning outright with more than 50% of the first-round votes in their constituencies. By contrast, candidates from Macron's alliance secured just two seats on Sunday, prompting the president to call on the left to create a 'broad alliance' to block the hard-right from ascending to power. Third-place candidates who qualified for the second round have been urged to drop out to present a united front against the far right. But instead of mounting one last defiant bout of campaigning this week, sources say Macron cut a morose and dejected figure as he met with ministers yesterday, making 'no effort to galvanise his troops'. The President gave no firm instructions to candidates over standing down, sources said - while some of his ministers cautioned voters against plumping for hard-left candidates.

Voters in the 27 EU states have delivered a stinging rebuke to the bloc's centrist and Left-wing politicians.  Elections to the 720-member European Parliament have seen hard-Right parties triumph, with voters expressing frustration with mass migration. So where have Right-wing parties fared well? Victory for the Right-wing, populist Freedom Party in Austria - which won 25.7 per cent of the vote - sums up the nightmare facing the EU elite. While the party doesn't want Austria to leave the bloc, it wants the EU's budget slashed by half and powers returned to member states. It also opposes EU intervention in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.

A suspected terrorist who triggered a bomb in a Paris hotel room is an ex-Russian soldier who wanted to target French companies supplying weapons to Ukraine, it is alleged. The 26-year-old, who has not been named, was on Thursday in custody at the headquarters of France's domestic intelligence service. He suffered wounds to the face and arms after igniting TATP - an explosive dubbed 'Mother of Satan' by ISIS and Al-Qaeda - at the B&B Hotel at Charles de Gaulle airport on Monday afternoon.

Six nations sharing a land border with Russia or Belarus - namely Finland, Norway, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia - will pool resources to ensure thousands of military-grade and consumer drones can patrol the skies over their eastern regions. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said the new security measure was a necessity because 'we are back to some extent to where the world was in the darkest days of the Cold War'. He expressed concerns that Russia and Belarus were 'weaponising' migration, facilitating the transfer of large numbers of migrants and asylum seekers through their territory and onward into Europe. But he added the initiative would also form part of existing early warning systems (EWs) to protect against any 'provocations', in comments to The Times. Latvia is also one of several countries, including the UK, contributing to a £200 million scheme providing military-grade unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Ukraine.

Geeta Guru-Murthy said her comments 'didn't meet the BBC's editorial standards on impartiality'. Mr Farage said he was quoting the Polish prime minister Donald Tusk when he said 'aggressive young males' were coming into Poland, at a Reform UK event in Dover. Live on air, Ms Guru-Murthy said: 'Earlier today we heard live from Nigel Farage, speaking at that election event we just saw. When we came away from his live speech, I used language to describe it which didn't meet the BBC's editorial standards on impartiality. I'd like to apologise to Mr Farage and viewers for this.'

The Shield-East project was announced today by Polish prime minister Donald Tusk (right). Poland will be investing 10billion zloty (£2.01billion) in the major project that will include a system of fortifications as well as landscaping to make it 'impossible' for a potential enemy to cross. It is the latest example of Warsaw ramping up its defences after accusing Moscow and Minsk of attempting to destabilise Poland. Mr Tusk told a news conference: 'We have decided to invest 10 billion zlotys in our security, and above all in a secure eastern border.

Poland's Brexit-hating Prime Minister Donald Tusk claims Poles will be richer than Brits by 2030 because 'it's better to be in the EU'. In the bold statement made Wednesday, Tusk, 67, vowed to accelerate the country's economic growth, potentially leading to a higher GDP per capita than that of post-Brexit Britain within just five years. Poland's PM was the European Council president during Brexit negotiations and was known for his extreme criticism of the decision to leave the EU. 'A fierce debate is taking place in Great Britain caused by the World Bank's forecast that GDP per capita will be higher in Poland than in the UK in 2025,' Tusk said in a post to X, formerly Twitter. 'And I promise it: on the 25th anniversary, Poles will be richer than Brits. It's better to be in the European Union,' he added, underscoring his strong belief in the benefits of EU membership.

Seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed by Israeli forces while their convoy was moving to deliver aid in what the UN chief labelled an 'unconscionable' attack. The Polish aid worker, Damian Sobol, from south-eastern Poland, took part in delivering aid to Ukrainian refugees following the Russia-Ukraine war and also helped during Turkiye's massive earthquake. Today, over two weeks since his killing, a memorial event honouring his life began at the Przemysl train station, where in 2022 he started his aid career after thousands of Ukrainians arrived. The procession then ended with a funeral ceremony at the cemetery in his home town of Przemysl.

Herzi Halevi, the head of Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in Jerusalem, called the killings a "grave mistake," blaming night-time "misidentification" and initiating an independent probe into the incident. According to a military source, the official report, which could be published in the coming days, is forecast to conclude the deaths of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers as a 'tragic accident' and attribute the assault to a "intelligence failure." If the conclusion is as expected, insiders expect that the Israeli government will provide compensation to the victims' families. On Monday, the Israeli military killed seven workers of WCK, three British veterans, when it bombed a clearly marked vehicle befitting the food charity.

Three Brits were part of a security team in the World Food Kitchen convoy, including James Kirby from Bristol, who was bombed when leaving a warehouse in Deir al-Balah, south of Gaza City, was bombed. The aid worker's family said he and the other six people who tragically lost their lives in the tragedy would be remembered as a hero.' In the meantime, Julie Marshall paid a loving tribute to a man she said she'd never forget and who'literally stole my heart.' He invested his entire life into helping others and fighting for something he felt so strongly in.' He went through so much, yet had the most humour and kindness,' she said. Stephen Caple, another loved one, wrote on Facebook (inset): "My cousin, James Kirby, was killed in Gaza yesterday, trying to bring humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians.' I will always be proud of our family's HERO. The kindest, amusing, and most lovable person. Kirbs, 'British music has passed away.' The seven humanitarian staff killed on Monday have been killed as global leaders vented their indignation at Israel after the 'outrageous' drone attack, which saw three cars blasted, has poured in tributes.

I know it's tragic, especially among those of the younger generation, but we must still get used to the arrival of a new era.' In a address to international journalists, Donald Tusk (inset) said the prewar period. I don't want to scare anyone, but war is no longer a thing from the past.' It's real, and it started over two years ago. We are in the most critical moment since the Second World War,' he explained. 'Yes, every scenario is possible.' His warning came as Russia launched yet another large-scale attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure overnight, with a mass barrage of drones and airstrikes attacking regions around the region overnight, according to Kyiv officials (Russian rocket launches left, injury in Ukraine top right). The bombardment also prompted Poland to scramble its own warplanes to protect its airspace from any wayward drones, missiles or bombers (Polish F-16 fighter jets bottom right)

In a speech yesterday, Putin said that the perpetrators, who killed more than 140 people in the deadly Moscow attacks, had attempted to flee to Ukraine, but that preliminary reports indicated that several Ukrainian citizens were able to help them cross the Russian border. Zelensky denied the claim that Kyiv had been involved shortly after, saying: "What happened in Moscow yesterday is obvious." Putin and the other b*****ds are just trying to blame it on someone else.' Instead of worrying with his Russian citizens and addressing them, Putin went quiet for a day, wondering how to bring it to Ukraine.' All is very predictable.' In the meantime, a senior Whitehall intelligence source told The Telegraph that Putin's attempt to add insults to Ukraine is unsurprising, while still pretending that there is no opposition in Russia.' He must not use this confident link as a reason for exacerbating his illicit war in Ukraine.'

The pictures were published by Macron's official photographer Sazig de la Moissonniere and depict the French leader in a boxing gym yesterday, where he flexed his muscles as he collided his muscles as he struck a punching bag. Following military experts' comments that he will lead NATO as a 'Napoleon,' Macron aimed to show his fighting spirit and tenacity.' Macron's cringe-worthy portrayal of strength with the boxing photos resembles Russian President Putin's earlier published photographs of him thrashes an adversary in Judo, playing ice hockey, or riding horseless on a horse. The photos came as a result of Macron's repeated warnings that sending Western ground troops into Ukraine should not be 'ruled out' and that European politicians should not be 'cowards' when it comes to Ukraine's defense.

On Saturday, the former US President (right) ignited a political controversy and sent a chill through America's European allies, saying Russia would'do what the hell they want' to any NATO country that does not fulfill its defense spending obligations. Any suggestion that allies would not defend themselves undermines all of our defense, including those of the United States, and puts American and European soldiers at a higher risk.' His remarks were echoed by several other EU leaders, including Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was quick to point out that his country shares a land border with Ukraine, where a 'hot war' is erupts. But now incredulous Russian commentators are poking fun at the NATO chief and his allies, joking that they are expecting Russia to act as the alliance's 'debt collectors' (Russian political commentator Vladimir Kornilov inset top, Russian President Vladimir Putin inset bottom)

On the £55 million Black Sea missile ship Ivanovets, footage posted by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence demonstrated how its unmanned seafaring vessels bore down. Multiple drones off annexed Crimea and sunk the 184ft warship after sustaining major hull damage. When it was attacked, Ivanovets was on sea lake Donuzlav, a bay in Crimea used for military vessels. The crew's fate, which was resisted the attack and shot at the drones, is unknown. Neither the Russian Ministry of Defence nor the Navy have reported the attack, but a slew of pro-war military channels on Telegram have corroborated Ukrainian reports.

New photographs from Ukraine have shown the harsh reality of life nearly two years after Putin's missiles wreaked havoc on civilian centers in Ukraine's civil war. After being struck by shrapnel, one elderly woman was seen standing inside an ambulance, her face in a crimson mask. Sporting little more than heavy bandaging for her wounds, a beige jacket spattered with blood, and a pair of snow-covered slippers, she clutched at a tiny canvas bag, likely all that was left of her possessions after the bombs fell. In other shocking photos, demolished buildings and cars were reduced to twisted hunks of charred metal as firefighters and rescuers raced desperately to free civilians trapped under the smoke and rubble of their homes in temperatures of -7 degrees Celsius. The Russian missile strike, which killed at least six people, came just hours after Moscow shunned any agreement backed by Kyiv and its Western allies to come to an end the nearly two-year-old war. Officials said the barrage contained more than 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft, and guided missiles. Ukraine's air force reported that it could only intercept 21 of them.

A group of Jewish men in high spirits were seen holding a fire extinguisher aloft and handing it to one another as they danced, laughing and joking about Grzegorz Braun's performance yesterday. The scene was jovial, with onlookers clapping and marching along to traditional Jewish music before one participant feigned outrage and maskedly dismissed the fire exemptor at the camera. Hundreds of thousands of viewers have watched the video, which has been widely criticized by Braun, who has been chastised for the anti-Semitic measure after he referred to Hanukkah as'satanic' and said he was restoring 'normality' by extinguishing the candles. After ripping the red extinguisher from the wall of the government building and blasting the manorah, the right-wing, pro-Russian member of Poland's Confederation party was kicked out of the Sejm (Parliament). But supporters of the lawmaker jumped to his defense, with an online fundraiser bringing more than £14,000 after the MP was fined six months of pay plus another three months of halftime for his conduct.