Polish Foreign Minister: Putin should not be allowed to exploit rift with Ukraine

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has stated that Ukraine and Poland must overcome their dispute and focus on the common enemy in Moscow. In an interview with CBS News, he expressed hope that relations between the two countries could be repaired in the near future.

Sikorski emphasized that it is not about people falling into each other's arms, but about deciding not to repeat past mistakes and to find a better common future. He stressed the importance of preventing Russian dictator Vladimir Putin from exploiting the dispute for his own benefit. "We shouldn't allow Putin to take advantage of our disagreements," he said.

The rift began on the evening of June 19 when Polish President Karol Nawrocki decided to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle due to the naming of a Ukrainian military unit after the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. Nawrocki stated that Poland would not allow EU accession for those who do not understand the need to renounce the "cult of totalitarianism and violence."

Following the decision, several current and former Ukrainian officials announced they would return their Polish honors. Questions were raised about whether Zelenskyy would attend this year's Ukraine Recovery Conference. Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the opposition Law and Justice party, called for blocking new rounds of negotiations in Ukraine's EU accession process.

On June 26, the Ukrainian foreign minister stated that Ukraine is willing to engage in an equal, fair, and mutually beneficial partnership with Poland and wants to use all diplomatic tools to resolve the dispute.