Donald Tusk and Karol Nawrocki clash over anniversary speech and territory remarks

Speech in Włodawa and social media exchange

Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Prime Minister Donald Tusk engaged in a direct public clash on 17 September 2026 following presidential remarks delivered during the 87th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland. Speaking to residents in Włodawa, Lublin Voivodeship, Nawrocki stated that the Polish nation could lose territory but would never lose its soul or homeland, referencing the dual invasion of Poland in 1939. The Chancellery of the President published an excerpt of the address on social media platform X, prompting immediate intervention from the head of government.

Tusk publicly called on the president to withdraw the social media post, stating that the government would not surrender any part of the country.

“Mr President, I propose deleting this post. We do not intend to give up even a scrap of our territory.”

Presidential reply and fuel price proposal

Nawrocki rejected Tusk's demand later on Thursday evening, pointing to the historical context of the 17 September 1939 date and advising the prime minister to review presidential draft legislation instead of reviewing social media posts.

“Mr Prime Minister, historian, today is 17 September... An important anniversary. It is worth knowing: 87 years ago we lost territory, but we did not lose our Homeland.”

Nawrocki countered Tusk's wording by proposing to delete fuel prices instead of online statements. The president urged Tusk to focus on legislative proposals introduced earlier in the day by the Head of the Presidential Cabinet, Paweł Szefernaker. Szefernaker presented a presidential bill aimed at reducing fuel prices, featuring a full retail sales tax exemption on fuel until 31 March 2027, the reinstatement of flexible excise duty reductions by the finance minister, and statutory caps on refinery, import, and wholesale margins.

Reactions across the government cabinet

Members of the Council of Ministers reacted critically to Nawrocki's remarks throughout Thursday evening. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces must project total defence rather than territorial concessions.

“The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces should tell the opponent what we will defend, not what we can give up. Our duty is to defend every centimetre of Poland.”

Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek cited Article 131, Section 2, Point 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, which addresses the permanent incapacity of a president to hold office. Government spokesperson Adam Szłapka and Civic Coalition Member of the European Parliament Dariusz Joński also publicly questioned the wording.

Presidential Chancellery defense and chronology

Presidential spokesperson Rafał Leśkiewicz defended Nawrocki, characterizing government statements as selective quotes taken out of context. Leśkiewicz pointed to security cooperation with Washington, citing statements from US President Donald Trump regarding progress on a permanent American military base in Poland under Nawrocki's leadership. During the Włodawa address, Nawrocki had referenced Polish wartime commander Edward Rydz-Śmigły while describing the twin totalitarian threats faced in 1939 from Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Commentators on TVN24, including political scientist Anna Wojciuk and journalist Patryk Michalski, evaluated the exchange, noting the domestic and foreign communication risks of ambiguous historical phrasing.