Duda: Poland supports Ukraine “within common sense”
Poland provides assistance to Ukraine, which is defending from Russian aggression, but at the same time Warsaw is taking care of its own interests and security.
That’s according to President Andrzej Duda of Poland, who spoke an interview with Polsat News, Ukrinform reports.
"We support Ukraine within the limits of common sense. We are doing it as needed for Ukraine’s defense to continue but also taking care of our interests and security," Duda said.
The head of the Polish state expressed regret that "in the Ukrainian media space, attention was not focused on the fact that the Ukrainian grain transit via Poland never stopped."
“Transit intended to ensure supplies to Africa and Latin America continues and has doubled in the last two months. We do not want Ukrainian grain, which harms the Polish market, to enter our territory, often illegally, and be sold in Poland. This harms the interests of Polish farmers. We will protect Polish farmers, as this is the duty of the Polish government," Duda said.
When asked if he had been in contact with President Volodymyr Zelensky since both leaders spoke at the UN General Assembly in September, Duda replied that "negotiations and relations between Poland and Ukraine are ongoing, they have not been suspended."
When asked if he plans to talk to Zelensky in the near future, the head of the Polish state noted that "when there is a need, there is always a conversation with President Zelensky, and it has never been a problem."
"Indeed, now we have an issue over grain, which I hope will be resolved soon. I am glad that Ukraine decided to suspend the proceedings at the (WTO - ed.) tribunal, where they filed a complaint, because the negotiations are going in the right direction," Duda stated.
When asked why the head of the Polish Foreign Ministry failed to attend the EU foreign ministerial held in Kyiv for the first time in EU’s history, the president noted that Warsaw was represented by Deputy Minister Wojciech Harwel.
"Poland was represented at that meeting," the Polish leader emphasized.
Answering the question why Polish defense companies did not participate in the recent forum of defense industries n Kyiv, Duda said the Polish defense sector was already working on contracts previously signed with Ukraine. He clarified that it is about supplying Ukraine with Krab self-propelled guns, Rosomak armored personnel carriers, Grot automatic rifles, and Piorun MANPADs.
"Our companies implement the contracts concluded with Ukraine for their defense. We are also one of the largest donors for Ukraine," Duda stated.
As reported, Ukrainian-Polish relations are now experiencing tension in relation to the so-called grain crisis: a unilateral embargo by Poland on the export of Ukrainian grain to the Polish market and Kyiv's complaint filed with the World Trade Organization to this end. In order to resume constructive grain talks with Ukraine, Poland demands that the complaint be pulled from the WTO, not simply suspended.
Against this background, Poland’s representation at the latest foreign ministerial held in Kyiv was limited to deputy foreign minister. Minster Zbigniew Rau did not hide the fact that his absence in Kyiv was influenced by the current worsening of relations between Kyiv and Warsaw.
In turn, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, said Ukraine had invited Polish defense companies to the defense industries forum in Kyiv and that they should be asked why they chose not to take part in the event. The Polish state-run defense concern, PGZ, confirmed to Ukrinform that they had indeed received an invitation from Kyiv, but "other circumstances" did not allow their top management to participate in the forum.
Photo: Przemysław Keler, KPRP