Donald Tusk takes over European Council presidency

Donald Tusk was voted into office at an extraordinary meeting in September, and resigned from the Prime Minister’s Chancellery of Poland the following October.

As head of the EU-wide body, Tusk will likely take a strong stand on Russia, which he described not as “our strategic partner, [but] our strategic problem,” in a recent interview with the Financial Times.

In an uncharacteristic English-language tweet on Saturday, Tusk wrote: “Veni, vidi… and we’ll see, what happens. Brussels, here I come!”

The new head of the European institution has spent months polishing his English in preparation for the role, and he gave his first extensive interview in the language in recent days, reflecting on his background.

Tusk is the second person to hold the position full-time, after Belgian Herman Van Rompuy’s term expired in November.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz tweeted: “Wish all the best to @donaldtusk in new role. #EP and #EUCO will not always agree, but we will be moved by same desire to make EU work.”