Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a stopover in Poland this Saturday to thank his country for its support, at a time when relations between Kiev and Warsaw are going through difficulties due to the dispute over grain exports from Ukraine.
“I want to thank all of Poland for their support, which is priceless, and their solidarity, which contributes to defending the freedom of all of our Europe,” said Zelensky, in the city of Lublin, where he met with volunteers, but was not present with any Polish leader.
Zelensky, who was returning from a visit to the United States and Canada, decorated Polish journalist Blanca Zalewska and volunteer Damian Duda.
“I am proud that Ukraine has such a strong neighbor. I want to thank. I want to thank the entire Polish nation, all the people who from the first days opened their homes and their families and helped,” declared the Ukrainian leader, quoted by the PAP agency.
“I believe that any challenge in our common path is nothing compared to the fact that there is so much strength between our peoples,” he added.
Relations between Kiev and Warsaw, one of Ukraine’s main allies, are going through a complicated moment following the decision of the Polish Government, three weeks before holding elections, to extend restrictions on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products with the argument of protecting the interests of Polish farmers.
Last Monday, Ukraine filed a complaint against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, countries with the same decision, before the World Trade Organization.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Zelensky criticized countries that pretend to be supportive but actually favor the Kremlin with their actions, statements that caused outrage in Warsaw.
A meeting that was due to take place on the sidelines of the General Assembly between Zelensky and Polish President Andrzej Duda was officially canceled due to scheduling reasons.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki later announced that his country would stop supplying new weapons to Ukraine, limiting itself to pre-arranged deliveries and focusing on modernizing its own armed forces.
Source: TSF
