Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has appealed for de-escalation in the deteriorating relations between Ukraine and Poland, urging both sides to calm down and return to diplomacy. In a lengthy social media post published on Tuesday, Poroshenko returned his Order of the White Eagle and presented a five-point plan to overcome the crisis that erupted after President Volodymyr Zelensky named a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
Poroshenko, who served as president from 2014 to 2019, stressed that Poland remains Ukraine’s strategic ally, having accepted over a million Ukrainian refugees and facilitated the delivery of crucial supplies, including weapons. He criticized the decision by Polish President Karol Nawrocki to revoke Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle, calling it wrong and unfair to the Ukrainian people.
– The challenges facing Ukraine require a healthy, sensible, professional, and statesmanlike approach. The packages with the orders have been sent back to Warsaw. We have all given vent to understandable emotions. Now we must all calm down. – said Petro Poroshenko, former Ukrainian president.
He emphasized that Poland is a strategic neighbor and ally, through which a huge part of Ukrainian supplies, including weapons, arrives. He also reminded that Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO largely depends on Warsaw. – Poland was our main European and Euro-Atlantic advocate during my presidency. – he added.
Poroshenko calls for end to public escalation
Poroshenko argued that the current crisis is fueled by internal problems, populism, and a chase for ratings, not by historical disputes. He insisted that history should be left to historians, not politicians. – Our shared history is too complex, full of mutual grievances and resentments, and no one has yet invented a better medicine than 'we forgive and ask for forgiveness.’ – he wrote.
The former president warned that any escalation between Kyiv and Warsaw plays into Russia’s hands. – Every escalation between the sides benefits Russia. – he stated, noting that Ukraine must take care of every ally and every tool to survive. He called for transparency from the Ukrainian side in informing about who handles communication with Polish authorities, how to rebuild trust, and in what atmosphere the upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk will take place.
Five-point roadmap to restore trust
In his social media post, Poroshenko outlined five concrete steps for de-escalation. The first is a complete halt to public escalation. The second calls for an audit of Ukraine’s policy toward Poland, covering strategy, communication channels, and problems to solve. The third point demands a return to professional diplomacy, avoiding public shows, blackmail, or bidding wars with Polish politicians.
– Leave the order issue to politicians, you have your own important mission. – he appealed to Ukrainian diplomats. The fourth point urges separating emotions from national interest, emphasizing that Ukraine’s strategic interests lie in a strong alliance with Poland, support in EU and NATO, and joint containment of Russia. The fifth point calls for opening EU negotiation clusters in July, noting that this also depends on Warsaw. – Risks cannot be underestimated here. – Poroshenko said.
Poroshenko reaffirmed his unwavering belief in the strategic value of the Ukrainian-Polish partnership and expressed respect for Polish leaders such as Presidents Kwaśniewski, Komorowski, and Duda, Prime Minister Tusk, and Foreign Minister Sikorski. Other Ukrainian officials, including former presidents Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov, also returned their orders.
Źródło: Polsat News, Fot. Polsat News
