September 24, 2024
Polish President Andrzej Duda (Photo:REUTERS/Kuba Stezyck)
Polish President Andrzej Duda criticized the statement made by the country’s Defense Minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, regarding the blocking of Ukraine’s EU membership, the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported on Sep. 23.
Such remarks “align with Putin’s policies,” said Duda.
Earlier, Kosiniak-Kamysz had claimed that Ukraine cannot join the European Union without addressing the “Volyn issue.”
“I would like to know exactly what ministers and prime ministers mean when they make such statements,” Duda emphasized, noting that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine to prevent its integration into the EU.
Polish parliamentarian defends Ukraine’s EU ambitions, despite differing perspectives on Volyn tragedy
“If someone says they plan to block Ukraine’s access to the European Union, they are essentially supporting Vladimir Putin’s policy. Now, I don’t know if this is the intention of those in power… These are complex issues, including for Ukrainians themselves, and they have been kept silent for years,” Duda added
Duda also remarked that in his own policy, he “tried to act in a way that would avoid creating points of tension between Warsaw and Kyiv as much as possible.” He confirmed that he discussed these issues with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Read also:
Ukraine cannot join EU before resolving historical issues with Poland — Tusk
“The best example of this was the president’s presence in Lutsk for the anniversary of the Volhyn massacre (as the Volyn tragedy is referred to in Polish historiography),” the Polish president said.
Duda concluded by stating that resolving all complex issues, including historical ones, is in Ukraine’s own interest. He noted that “Ukrainians have many unresolved issues related to World War II.”
Read also:
Polish delegation ‘surprised’ by Zelenskyy’s communication style during meeting with Sikorski