Duda condemned the Polish government for ultimatums to Ukraine regarding the EU over the “Volyn issue”
Polish President Andrzej Duda criticized the statements of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defense Minister Władysław Kosyniak-Kamis, who claim that Ukraine will not be able to join the European Union without settling the historical issue of the “Volyn tragedy”. In an interview with Polsat News, which quotes edition of Rzeczpospolita, Duda said that such statements benefit Vladimir Putin’s policy, as he is trying to stop Ukraine’s European integration.
“Putin launched a war against Ukraine precisely in order to prevent it from getting closer to the European Union. Therefore, any statements about blocking Ukraine’s accession to the EU mean supporting his policy.”Duda noted.
The President of Poland noted that he seeks to understand exactly what government representatives mean by making such statements. He emphasized that the “Volyn issue” is a difficult topic not only for Ukrainians, but also for both countries, and such issues should not be used as an obstacle to Ukraine’s European integration.
Duda also noted that his goal is not to create new points of tension between Poland and Ukraine, and that he actively discussed this issue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
At the same time, Andrzej Duda called on Ukraine to seek ways of mutual understanding with Poland on historical issues, as this would contribute to strengthening relations between the two countries and their common European future.
Earlier, Polish Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamys said that Poland should not support Ukraine’s accession to the EU until the issue of the Volyn tragedy of 1943 is settled. Prime Minister Donald Tusk supported this position, noting that Ukraine cannot become a member of the European Union until Kyiv and Warsaw find a common language on this historic issue.
