Zelenskyy urged Poland to abandon rhetoric of animosity in favor of pragmatic cooperation, as regional stability would become impossible without robust Ukrainian defense.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Karol Nawrocki / © Office of the President of Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lamented that Warsaw seemingly forgot that it is Ukraine currently defending Poland and Europe, not the other way around.
The head of state shared this in an interview with TSN anchor Alla Mazur.
Zelenskyy recalled that during his first meeting with Nawrocki, the latter presented the President of Ukraine with a book about the Volyn tragedy.
“I didn’t talk about it, I didn’t go out for a press conference. I didn’t tell people. I’ve been living with it calmly. Now we’re talking about it openly because he’s taking steps that I consider wrong. And therefore, I am responding now,” he said.
Ukraine Defends Europe
Zelenskyy emphasized that it is precisely Ukraine defending Poland, not the reverse.
“We are defending Poland, we are defending Europe now, not the other way around. Our fighters are defending, and Ukrainians are dying,” the president stated.
Why the Unit Was Named After the UPA
President Zelenskyy explained his decision to grant the honorary title “named after the Heroes of the UPA” to a unit of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
He clarified that this was the initiative of the soldiers themselves.
“I have never given my soldiers a name. I haven’t said what I like or dislike. It was the initiative of the unit. Yes, I support it. I am not shifting responsibility onto anyone else now. I have never changed such decrees and never rescinded them. As president, I must support them. They are the army, they are the defense, and I am the guarantor of the Constitution and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, who must provide them with everything they need to defend our people and our land. And if they are motivated by their heroes, by heroic, historical figures whom they respect, and if it is very important to them, I must do everything they tell me,” Zelenskyy explained his decision.
An Ultimatum from Nawrocki
Zelenskyy revealed that Polish President Nawrocki demanded the cancellation of this decree.
“He (Nawrocki – Ed.) said: ‘You must cancel the decree.’ Well, excuse me, this is our matter. And Poland must understand this. Absolutely. Apart from historical issues, which, by the way, we are openly discussing, there is respect for the present, for our army, and for the future. Without Ukraine, no one can defend Poland. It’s simply impossible; if Ukraine doesn’t exist, a defended Poland ceases to exist,” the head of state emphasized.
“This Story Will End Badly”
Zelenskyy stressed that Poland’s recent actions are “a political struggle that could end badly.” In his opinion, Nawrocki is fighting for his party’s prime ministerial seat against Prime Minister Tusk.
“He is continuing a political struggle, essentially within his own state, by raising the mood of hatred towards Ukrainians. What Orban did. A bad story. I believe it will end badly. Therefore, we must focus here not on emotions, but on concrete steps,” Zelenskyy stated.
The president added that “one cannot earn political dividends from hatred, because it will lead to bad relations between countries and peoples in the long run.”
“We cannot not be partners or not be friendly with the Poles, because we are neighbors, and if you are not a partner, not a friend, then over the years, over decades, it turns into what we have with the Russians: disrespect, aggression, radicalization of society. What Orban did was absolutely mistaken. He placed military personnel on his border, brought them closer to our border. What were these signals for? Why are you doing this – radicalizing society? What will societal hatred lead to? To ratings. This is a political struggle that can end badly. A very bad escalation,” Zelenskyy warned Poland.
Recall that the President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, announced that he had decided to strip the President of Ukraine of the Order of the White Eagle due to Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decree on naming a unit of the Armed Forces after the ‘UPA heroes.’
In response, Zelenskyy sent the Order of the White Eagle via ‘Nova Poshta’ to Poland.
Read the full chronicle of the loud scandal, and the reactions from Kyiv and Warsaw in this article.
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