Tusk speaks out after Munich conference: never again!

The world is now on the brink of a third world war. And it may repeat the mistakes of the past, when attempts to appease the aggressor - the conclusion of the Munich Agreement in 1938 - became the trigger for the outbreak of the bloodiest war in history, World War II.

That is why it is more important than ever to remember history and prevent its repetition. This statement was made by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The politician, who is participating in the Munich Security Conference, warned the world against repeating the mistakes of the past in the X network. He hinted that the current US attempts to reach an agreement with the aggressor country Russia at the expense of Ukraine's interests and territorial integrity echo a shameful page in the history of the democratic world: the signing of the Munich Agreement, by which Britain and France actually agreed to Nazi Germany's occupation of the Sudetenland.

"As a tourist, I really like this place (Munich - Ed.). Good people, great beer, a wonderful Pinakothek. As a historian and a politician, the only thing I can say today is that I like it: MUNICH. NEVER AGAIN," Tusk wrote.

As a reminder, the Munich Agreement (or, as it was also called, the Munich Pact) was signed in Munich on September 30, 1938. The agreement was signed by the then British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier on the one hand, and Reich Chancellor of the Third Reich Adolf Hitler and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy Benito Mussolini on the other.

The agreement resulted in the actual dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, when Hitler received the Sudetenland, and with it Czech military factories and significant stocks of weapons of the former Czechoslovak army, which allowed him to arm 9 infantry divisions. Poland and Hungary also satisfied their territorial claims at the expense of Czechoslovakia's lands.

Back in 1938, much of Europe rejoiced at the Munich Agreement, as it was seen as a way to prevent a major war on the continent. At the time of the signing, Hitler claimed that the Sudetenland was his last territorial claim.

However, subsequent events showed that attempts to pacify the aggressor were futile and only whetted his appetite. Already on January 5, 1939, Germany claimed the "free city" of Danzig (Gdansk), on March 23, forced Lithuania to transfer the Klaipeda region to it, and on September 1 of the same year attacked Poland, starting World War II.

Earlier it was reported that on February 16, EU foreign ministers urgently met in Munich due to statements by US representatives. The reason could be a resonant speech by US Vice President J.D. Vance, who outlined a change in Washington's approach to relations with Europe, as well as the alarming situation with possible agreements between the US and Russia on Ukraine without the involvement of Kyiv and Europe.

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