Ukraine and Poland engaged in efforts to ease strains in relations - MFA
Photo: Heorhii Tykhyi (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine is conducting "calm diplomatic work" with the Polish side to reduce emotional tensions and resolve the recent deterioration in bilateral relations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said during a national telethon live broadcast.
According to him, Kyiv supports a constructive dialogue and remains in constant contact with Polish diplomats. Despite the exchange of strong statements and "eye-catching headlines" in the media, the two countries are working to "smooth over differences."
"We are working to calm these tensions and emotions. Ukraine’s position is very balanced. We support dialogue, including on difficult issues related to our shared historical past," Tykhyi said.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also stressed that the current tensions primarily concern the position of Polish President-elect Karol Nawrocki. He added that this position "should not be equated either with Poland’s position as a whole or with the position of Polish society."
In addition, Tykhyi urged people to remember that Ukraine and Poland are allies united by a common enemy — Russia.
Ukraine-Poland dispute
On June 21, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his Polish counterpart was using anti-Ukrainian sentiment as a tool in domestic political competition. According to the Ukrainian president, Nawrocki is repeating mistakes previously made by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Zelenskyy also emphasized that Ukrainians are currently sacrificing their lives to protect not only their own country but also Poland and the entire European Union.
On June 19, Karol Nawrocki decided to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state decoration.
The move came after one of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces units was granted the honorary title of the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
Following that decision, former Ukrainian presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko announced their intention to renounce Polish state honors. Similar statements were made by Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and former Prime Minister Volodymyr Groisman.
