Poland and Ukraine need an honest conversation, not an escalation of tensions - Tusk

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on Warsaw and Kyiv to engage in honest dialogue without escalating tensions. His statement came amid talks between the foreign ministers of Poland and Ukraine following a series of disputes in bilateral relations, UNN reports, citing Polish Radio.

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"It is worth looking for ways to have an honest conversation, rather than escalating tensions," Prime Minister Tusk commented on the talks between the foreign ministers of Poland and Ukraine.

During a press conference, the head of the Polish government stated that he counts on cooperation with Kyiv.

"I am receiving signals that the Ukrainian side has realized: it is worth looking for ways to have an honest conversation, including about the past, and it is not worth escalating this tension. We will see, this is probably a long process. But, as you know, I am convinced that good Ukrainian-Polish relations are in the interests of both sides. At the same time, this requires goodwill from Kyiv. It cannot be that only Warsaw constantly demonstrates goodwill. But I would like this firm position not to be marked by contempt or hostility, because this, undoubtedly, will not lead to anything constructive," Tusk said.

A meeting between Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland in Warsaw.

The talks took place after a series of tensions in Polish-Ukrainian relations. The talks in Warsaw are seen as an attempt to reduce tensions and restore constructive historical dialogue between the two countries.

As PAP reports, the meeting between Sikorski and Sybiha in Warsaw ended without comments from the Ukrainian delegation. According to previous reports, the topics of the talks between the two ministers were to include Polish-Ukrainian relations and the situation at the front. On Wednesday, the PAP agency, as stated, "unofficially learned that the Ukrainians are seeking a meeting with the Polish side." 

Recall

President of Poland Karol Nawrocki decided to strip President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle and emphasized that there are limits in Polish-Ukrainian relations that cannot be crossed.

The decision was made after Nawrocki stated that he is critical of the decision of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to name a Ukrainian Special Operations Forces unit after the "Heroes of the UPA".

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy granted one of the units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine the name "Heroes of the UPA" at the end of May.

The Order of the White Eagle was awarded to Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023 by the then President of Poland Andrzej Duda.

Zelenskyy sent the Order of the White Eagle back to the President of Poland via "Nova Poshta".

Later, Poland criticized Ukraine's decision to create a National Pantheon.