Especially in the early days of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Poland’s border towns “opened their doors and there were no borders between us,” Zelensky said. This is the beginning so that in the future there will be no more borders between neighboring countries.
“Borderless in political, economic and – particularly important – historical terms,” the 45-year-old emphasized, referring to the difficult Ukrainian-Polish past. Subsequently, Zelenskyy thanked Duda and the Poles for their help “on the difficult path to our victory.” Thanks to the people of Poland, Ukrainian refugees can “feel at home” in the neighboring country and are not just guests.
Zelenskyy also sees Poland as a key partner when it comes to rebuilding his country after the end of the Russian war of aggression and therefore invited Polish companies to become active in Ukraine before the end of the war in order to improve their positions. in the market.
APA/AFP/Wojtek Radwanski At the reception, Zelenskyy wore a black sweater with the Ukrainian trident
Poland with the most war refugees
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Poland has taken in around 1.6 million war refugees from neighboring Ukraine, more than any other country in the world. Much of the support for refugees has been provided by citizen and private initiatives since the early days of the war.
debate
What would the end of the war in Ukraine look like?
EU and NATO country Poland is also repeatedly campaigning for Western military aid to Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. When it came to supplying Leopard 2 main battle tanks, Poland put pressure on the German government for a long time, which finally agreed. In addition, Poland plays an important role as a logistical center for military support from the West.
More fighter jets for Ukraine
According to Poland, it is also ready to deliver all its MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. Warsaw “in the future could deliver its entire MiG fleet” of about 30 aircraft to Kiev “if NATO allies agree,” Duda said. Poland has already delivered eight of its Soviet-built MiG-29 jets to Kiev.
Occasionally, however, other MiG-29s would remain in service with the Polish armed forces for the time being, according to Duda. Only if they are successively replaced by modern fighters, which Poland has already ordered from South Korea and the USA, could these machines also be left to Ukraine. In addition to Poland, Slovakia has already delivered four MiG-29s to Kiev.
Zelenskiy in Poland
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Poland on Wednesday. In the capital, Warsaw, talks are on the agenda with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Grain problem solution
Zelenskyy and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also signed a preliminary contract on Wednesday for the purchase of new Polish wheeled armored vehicles. “We know how important freedom is, which is why we support Ukrainian soldiers in combat,” Morawiecki said after he and Zelenskyy inspected three KTO Rosomak wheeled infantry fighting vehicles behind the Polish government building.
Poland and Ukraine also found a solution to Ukrainian grain imports, which put pressure on the Polish grain market. “We found a way out,” Zelenskyy said during his visit. Everything will be clarified in the coming days. “There should be no open questions or complications between such close partners and true friends as Poland and Ukraine.” The Polish agriculture minister had already resigned over protests by farmers against falling grain prices due to imports.
Zelenskyy: “The situation in Bakhmut is very, very difficult”
During his visit to Poland, the Ukrainian president also mentioned the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. In his assessment, the situation there is “very, very difficult”. “The greatest number of different weapons such as artillery are used there,” Zelenskyy said. The situation regarding available ammunition is changing daily, and Ukrainian troops are fighting with varying degrees of success.
“But we are in Bakhmut and the enemy does not control Bakhmut,” Zelenskyy said. He also contradicted recent statements from Moscow. The head of the Wagner mercenary group fighting in Bakhmut, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed that his units had captured Bakhmut “legally” because they controlled the city administration building. “The more ammunition that enters Ukraine, the sooner we will clarify the situation not only in Bakhmut, but in the entire territory of our state,” Zelenskyy said.
Russian troops have been trying to capture Bakhmut in the Donetsk region since late summer. Most of the city and parts of the center are already under Russian control. However, in the western part of the city, which used to have 70,000 inhabitants, Ukrainian units still stubbornly resist. Russia invaded Ukraine over 13 months ago.
Prize for Zelenskyy
On the sidelines of the visit, Duda Zelenskyy presented the highest decoration in the country, the Order of the White Eagle. Duda thanked him for having received the medal for his services rendered to the deepening of Polish-Ukrainian relations, for his commitment to security and the defense of human rights.
Portal/Aleksandra Szmigiel Zelenskyy, accompanied by his wife Olena Selenska, accepts the Order of the White Eagle from Polish President Duda
In a joint speech in front of the royal palace, Duda confirmed that he wants to support Ukraine with military aid. “Whoever is defending their home, who is defending their homeland, their cities, towns and their population, needs immediate help and doesn’t have time to wait,” said Duda. Zelenskyy pledged friendship with Poland: “Ukrainian and Polish hearts beat for freedom, for the mutual independence of our states, for our native Europe, our common home, and we will win,” said the Ukrainian president.
Third trip abroad since the beginning of the war
Zelenskyy has rarely traveled abroad since Russia’s war of aggression began in February 2022. In February, he visited London, Paris and Brussels. The first trip took him to Poland and the USA in December.