Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Kiev this Wednesday for the “historic” support Poland, its government and its people have given to Kiev since the Russian invasion. In another demonstration of that support, Poland’s leader, Andrzej Duda, announced that his country will defend Ukraine’s accession to NATO at the next Atlantic Alliance summit, due in July. And it promised to provide its entire fleet of MiG-29 fighters – a total of 30 aircraft.
“We are trying to give Ukraine additional security guarantees that strengthen its military potential, which also strengthens the sense of security of the Ukrainian people,” Duda said of Poland’s support for Ukraine’s accession to NATO. Ukraine’s desire to join the Atlantic Alliance was one of the excuses used by Russian President Vladimir Putin to justify the “special military operation” in the neighboring country.
Since the Russian invasion, the Poles have been one of Ukraine’s most important allies, sheltering thousands of refugees and providing a gateway for Western weapons arriving in Kiev. This is despite the fact that the history between the two countries has complicated moments. ‘There are still open wounds in the memory of many people’Duda said, referring to the massacre of 100,000 Poles at the hands of Ukrainian nationalists during World War II – an event Poland considers genocide. Wounds currently being put on the back burner as Ukraine fights the invasion.
On social media, Zelensky said his visit was “a meeting of neighbors, a meeting of allies, a meeting of partners, a meeting of friends.” He also reiterated that “in the future there will be no borders between our peoples: political, economic and – very importantly – historical”, but that it is necessary to achieve victory first. “We need to walk side by side a bit more for that,” he said.
Zelensky, on an official trip with his wife for the first time since that invasion, was received with military honors by Duda in Warsaw. However, the trip was marked by the announcement of the resignation, on the same day, of the Polish Minister of Agriculture, Henryk Kowalczyk. The official decided to leave because he cannot curb imports of Ukrainian products, a situation that Polish growers say has led to falling prices.
Far from controversy, the Ukrainian leader was awarded Poland’s oldest and highest civilian honor, the Order of the White Eagle. “It is difficult to hide the tears of emotion at the sight of your service to your homeland,” Duda told Zelensky, according to the Polish news agency. “He is an exemplary leader” added. Zelensky said the medal is “for the people of Ukraine, our army who defend our state and our independence and who achieve victories for Ukraine, Poland, all of Europe and the world.” The visit ended with a speech at Warsaw Castle.
Meanwhile, in Moscow, Putin accused the US of being responsible for the conflict and the European Union of starting a “geopolitical confrontation” with Russia. He also claimed Western spies played a role in “terrorist attacks” in his country. And in Beijing, French President Emmanuel Macron, who is meeting today with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, warned that supporting the “aggressor”, i.e. Russia, would make China an “accomplice”, admitting that the country to play an “important role” for peace in Ukraine.
Source: DN
