Nausėda Offers Mediation in Ukraine-Poland Dispute

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has stated he is willing to serve as a mediator in the diplomatic conflict between Ukraine and Poland, but only if both countries formally ask for his involvement. He noted that on Saturday he will travel to northern Poland to meet Polish President Karol Nawrocki in an informal setting to discuss the issue. "This issue is very important to me," Nausėda said.

The conflict began on June 19 when Polish President Nawrocki decided to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle. The reason was that a Ukrainian military unit had been named after UPA heroes. Nawrocki also declared that Poland would not allow EU membership for countries that do not abandon the "cult of totalitarianism and violence." In response, several Ukrainian officials and former politicians returned their Polish awards.

Polish opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) leader Jarosław Kaczyński called for blocking new rounds of negotiations in Ukraine's EU accession process. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Friday that Ukraine is ready for equal, honest, and mutually beneficial partnership with Poland and wants to use all diplomatic tools to resolve the dispute.

Nausėda acknowledged that for now both sides are trying to resolve the conflict without mediators. "I heard this statement from Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. But if both sides conclude that a mediator is needed, if such a request is made, I am certainly ready to do it," the Lithuanian leader said.

He also noted that Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, at the reconstruction conference in Gdańsk, clearly expressed a desire to resolve the conflict. "The past is important, but the present, when aggression against Ukraine continues, is especially important," Nausėda emphasized.