Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy won new pledges of deeper military and economic cooperation on a state visit to Poland on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, as the neighbors sought to forge a tighter relationship in defiance of Russia’s full-scale war against Kyiv that has reshaped international alliances.
Polish President Andrzej Duda disclosed that his country has provided four Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine to help it counter the Kremlin’s assault. Four more are in the process of being handed over and another six are being prepared, he said.
Zelenskyy announced at his news conference with Duda that his government would “extend a hearty welcome” to Polish businesses seeking to help Ukraine’s postwar rebuilding, which the World Bank has estimated could cost $411 billion.
Zelenskyy met later with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and signed agreements on developing Ukrainian infrastructure that opens a door for hundreds of Polish companies.
Also, Poland heaped military honors and praise on Zelenskyy as it welcomed him and his wife on a joint visit, during which they thanked the country for its crucial military support as well as being a haven for Ukrainian refugees.
Duda awarded Zelenskyy Poland’s oldest and highest civilian distinction; The Order of the White Eagle.
“We have no doubt that your attitude, together with the bravery of the nation, has saved Ukraine,” the Polish President told Zelenskyy.
The former Soviet satellite that is now a member of the European Union and NATO feels especially threatened by Russia and has been a leading advocate for aid to Kyiv.
Zelenskyy divulged that the countries signed a new defense package for the delivery of Polish weaponry. They will also set up joint manufacturing plants for weapons and ammunition, he said.
Extremely Important Visit
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki opined that Zelenskyy’s visit was “extremely important because we are shaping the picture of Europe for the future.”
“The Kremlin and Putin, Moscow wanted an end to Ukraine, but today we can see that this war initiates the end of an aggressive Russia, of the Russia that we know, and (marks) a start of a completely new Europe. This is the beginning of a completely new Europe.”
Mateusz Morawiecki
Earlier, Zelenskyy and Duda said they wanted to leave behind any World War II-era grievances that linger in Ukraine and Poland.
“There are no taboo topics between us,” Duda said. “There are still open wounds in the memory of many people,” he added.
Polish farmers are increasingly angry because Ukrainian grain that has entered the country has created a glut, causing prices to fall. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy and Morawiecki said that they had reached a deal to resolve that problem, though they gave no details.
In other developments, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow’s relations with Washington are “in deep crisis” as the U.S. has led its allies in supplying aid and weapons to Ukraine.
Speaking at a ceremony where he accepted diplomatic credentials from Ambassadors of 17 nations, including the U.S., Putin alleged that Washington’s support for the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted a pro-Kremlin president led to Russia’s sending troops into Ukraine.
Also on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine and its allies of trying to affect Russian civilian communications satellites and threatened that Moscow could respond in kind. It didn’t offer any specifics.
“This is a flagrant violation of international law. The Russian side has the right to respond in kind. All the necessary opportunities for this are available,” it said.
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