Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received counsel against engaging in any disparaging remarks about Poland amidst the escalating tensions between the two nations, with some experts suggesting that the friction is linked to the upcoming Polish election.

Poland has been a significant supporter of Kyiv since the commencement of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, offering substantial assistance totaling approximately 4.27 billion euros (approximately $4.54 billion) in military, financial, and humanitarian aid.

Nonetheless, recent weeks have witnessed a deterioration in bilateral relations. This deterioration stems from Warsaw’s decision to uphold the European Union’s ban on Ukrainian agricultural products—a ban initially imposed by Brussels earlier in the year, primarily to safeguard European farmers.

Ukraine initiated legal proceedings against Poland, as well as Slovakia and Hungary, all of whom have expressed their intent to maintain the ban, Newsweek has reported.

Subsequently, during his address to the United Nations’ General Assembly on September 19, President Zelensky highlighted that some European allies were engaging in political theatrics, inadvertently aiding Moscow’s agenda.

As a reaction, Poland called upon the Ukrainian ambassador in Warsaw, and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki conveyed through social media that Poland would cease its weapon transfers to Ukraine, emphasizing their focus on enhancing Poland’s own defense capabilities.

Polish President Andrzej Duda clarified Prime Minister Morawiecki’s remarks, explaining that they pertained to the acquisition of new weapons for the Polish military.

Duda affirmed that Warsaw would continue to provide older weapons that are no longer needed for the modernization of Poland’s armed forces, as reported by Newsweek.

On Friday, Morawiecki directed criticism at Zelensky once more during a rally in Swidnik, Poland, stressing that the Ukrainian leader should “never insult Poles again.”

“The Polish people will never allow this to happen,” Morawiecki said, adding that “defending the good name of Poland” was both “my duty and honor.”

Written by staff