Poland advocates Ukraine's accession to the EU: an interview with an expert/Shutterstock
Warsaw and Kyiv stand side by side against the bloodthirsty Russian aggressor from the first days of the great war. The hostilities have been going on for more than three months, and our Polish brethren continue to firmly support the Ukrainian liberation struggle for the right to independently determine their own future.
How the countries plan to cooperate in the military sphere, how the transfer of Polish weapons to Ukraine is going on, what is happening with the supply of fuel for us from Poland, and how the Republic of Poland is helping the Ukrainian state on its way to the EU – the leading specialist of the Diplomatic Academy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine named after Gennady Udovenko Stanislav Zhelikhovsky.
Intergovernmental consultations between Ukraine and Poland
Stanislav, tell us more about the Ukrainian-Polish intergovernmental consultations.< /p>
Ukrainian-Polish intergovernmental consultations were held in Kyiv on June 1, following which the parties noted the importance of further joint efforts to strengthen bilateral strategic partnership.
These consultations were held for the first time in the history of relations between the two countries. Yes, and in such a wide format. The meeting was initiated by the Polish side. Both the Polish Cabinet and President Duda were the first to propose such a format of close diplomatic contact.
The purpose of these negotiations was once again to demonstrate the unprecedented level of support for Ukraine, which is fighting against the Russian aggressor. This format provides for cooperation between our country as a candidate for EU accession and Poland as an EU member state, respectively.
As you can see, we are endowed with a fairly high status in these negotiations. In this way, Poland wants to emphasize that we deserve to become candidates for full integration into the European Union. I believe that this kind of negotiation format has room for further development. The only question is the content of new contacts in this direction.
At the same time, the first such meeting has already shown the seriousness of the parties' intentions to deepen cooperation.
Poland supports Ukraine on the way to the EU/Photo by Getty Images
I read that a package of bilateral documents was signed as part of the consultations. What were those deals?
Yes, the parties signed only 8 documents following the meeting at the level of the cabinets of ministers of both countries. We are talking about cross-border cooperation and defense cooperation. The palette is really very wide.
It will be interesting to see how the signing of these agreements will become an impetus for the two governments to enter a new level of interaction so that it is possible to predict the development of relations between Warsaw and Kyiv. I do not rule out that the second round of talks will take place on the territory of Poland.
Joint defense enterprise and Polish weapons for Ukraine
Let's talk about the prospects for Polish-Ukrainian cooperation in the direction of weapons production. How and where will our joint armed enterprise with the Poles work?
Ukraine and Poland indeed agreed to establish a joint defense enterprise for the production of weapons and military equipment. During the previously mentioned intergovernmental consultation meeting, a memorandum was signed, which provides for the establishment of a joint commission to establish cooperation between the relevant enterprises of both parties.
The commission was instructed to prepare certain recommendations on the format in which the interstate enterprise for the manufacture of weapons and military equipment will exist. I admit that production will be laid down in Poland for the time being, while the war is going on. Over time, production facilities will be based on our territory.
Continuing the military theme, I would like to talk about how the supply of Polish weapons to us is going on today.
According to official information, Poland is the second supplier of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine. The cost of delivered products is more than 1.6 billion dollars.
And this is without taking into account the equipment purchased from Polish surpluses over the past 8 years. In general, Polish weapons can be divided into two groups:
- modern, newly produced weapons that are either sent to Ukraine from Polish armed factories or come from stocks of Polish armed forces that give it away in exchange for freshly made weapons of the same type made by gunsmiths;
- old equipment that was used even under the Warsaw Pact. Poland is buying newer weapons of Western origin from the allies.
As an example, we can cite an agreement between Warsaw and Washington on the transfer of modernized T-72s to Ukraine, which should be replaced in the future by 250 third-generation American Abrams. The first batch of modern models of American tank building should go to the Poles this year.
At the moment, the transfer of 18 self-propelled guns Krab, which came into use by the Ukrainian military, has taken place. In pursuit, our state plans to purchase another 60 self-propelled guns of this type. Currently, our troops are undergoing appropriate exercises in order to master the principle of using these howitzers.
Poland strongly supports Ukraine on its way to the EU and in the fight against the invaders/Photo telegram channel of the Verkhovna Rada
Polish fuel for Ukraine
What is the situation with the supply of Polish fuel for our needs?
We understand that after February 24, the situation with fuel in Ukraine has become very dramatic. The gas station lacks all kinds. And a significant part of the fuel reserves that we still have go to the needs of the army.
Our allies, including the Republic of Poland, began to react to this from the very first days. Thanks to this, thousands of tons of fuel left for us. On February 25, the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland received a letter from the Ukrainian embassy in Warsaw with a request for technical assistance regarding the supply of fuel.
The Ministry, in an extremely short period of time, created a legal mechanism consisting in the release of part of the Polish fuel reserves, transferring them to the strategic reserve and providing, by decision of the Prime Minister, to other countries as humanitarian aid.
As a result, this made it possible to start deliveries of fuel, in fact, to Ukraine. It is known that by the end of May, the volume of deliveries reached about 55 thousand tons of gasoline and about 73 million liters of diesel fuel, according to various estimates.
Thus, Poland today is the undisputed leader in the supply of this resource to Ukraine. Despite this, we need even more fuel. The Poles began to look for him for us in the international arena.
The Polish side has started organizing fuel supplies through humanitarian aid. Fuel support is currently being sought in two ways. Because of the actual international humanitarian assistance and financial assistance transferred from the Polish government agency of strategic reserves for the purchase of fuel for our country.
True, recently our Polish partners nevertheless began to give us fuel on a paid basis. Perhaps, by agreement of the parties, we will receive this vital resource at discount prices from Polish fuel companies.
Let's move on from the topic of resources to economics. Explain Morawiecki's words about Poland as an economic hub for Ukraine.
The Polish Prime Minister during his visit to Kyiv on the same June 1 said that his country would be an economic hub for our state. He said that Warsaw would take part in the export of agricultural products – mainly grain from Ukraine.
The export of Ukrainian grain was one of the main topics of the European Council meeting, which took place from 30 to 31 May. A number of agreements between ministries are being prepared to help us solve the problem of exporting relevant products. In turn, Poland will be able to get an economic boost.
Andrzej Duda spoke in the Ukrainian parliament/Photo telegram channel of the Verkhovna Rada
This practice will be a continuation of the tradition started after February 24, when the Polish state became a hub for us in the broadest sense of the word. Almost all types of resources and assistance from the world come through Polish territory.
Overcoming historical contradictions between countries
How will cooperation between our countries take place in the context of overcoming historical contradictions ? Earlier, Anton Drobovich, head of the Institute of National Remembrance, spoke about agreements regarding cooperation in this area.
During a visit to Kyiv on the first day of summer, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy and the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of national memory.
The parties will actively cooperate to reach mutual understanding in this problematic aspect of interstate relations. In particular, the document provides for the legalization, streamlining and maintenance of memorial sites, which will eliminate lengthy heated discussions that have created tension so far.
But I am afraid of the results of the forthcoming Polish parliamentary elections, which are to be held next year. In Poland, they say that PiS may change the electoral legislation before the elections.
One of the most ardent supporters of such a move is the representative of the Polish conservatives Pavel Kukiz. The figure is well known for its anti-Ukrainian legislative initiatives. During the election race, Polish conservatives may once again come to power on a wave of slogans that will heavily exploit the theme of the past.
If they get a majority in the Polish Republican Sejm, it will be a very bad signal for us. The topic of historical inconsistencies may again be stigmatized.
Therefore, it is good that we are already working ahead of the curve in order to avoid all these misunderstandings in the future.
Ukraine's accession to the EU: Poland's position
How are our Polish friends going to defend our right to become an EU candidate?
Poland these days is constantly calling on Europeans to grant our country the desired status as soon as possible. Actually, on June 2, speaking at a joint press conference with the head of the European Commission, the President and Prime Minister of Poland thanked the latter for supporting Ukraine on its way to obtaining candidate status. They expressed the hope that Kyiv will really get it soon.
The Poles are now generally agitating certain countries, European institutions to grant Ukraine the status of an EU candidate at the first opportunity. Poland continues to advocate for our country's accession to the European Union.
The closer the June EU summit comes, the louder Warsaw's voice will sound. To help itself, it will attract other countries that are ready to come out in our support. In particular, the Baltic countries and other states. Poland also acts as a European integration hub for Ukraine. Thanks to the entry of our state into the EU, the security situation around Poland itself will also improve.
High-ranking officials in Warsaw have already spoken about this more than once.
