Polish presidential candidate Nawrocki: Ukraine should know about rule of reciprocity in politics
Karol Nawrocki, the presidential candidate backed by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, has stated during a speech in the Sejm (Polish parliament) with ambassadors and heads of foreign missions that if he becomes president, Poland will continue to support Ukraine but emphasised the necessity of adhering to the principle of reciprocity in relations.
According to Polish press agency PAP, the meeting, organised by the PiS faction, included ambassadors and heads of foreign missions in Warsaw. During the event, Nawrocki delivered a speech on foreign policy, including relations with Ukraine.
Nawrocki stated that Poland has done and continues to do more for Ukraine than initially thought possible. He also referred to the reception of Ukrainian refugees and the transfer of military equipment.
"We feel we have done a good job for our partner, who is in existential danger due to the post-Soviet Russian Federation. However, Ukraine – our partners – must know that politics operates on the principle of reciprocity in relations. And we will continue, when I become president, to support Ukraine in the face of the Russian Federation’s threat, which is also hostile to us. That is self-evident.
At the same time, Poland represents, and I want to emphasise this, its interests and its society. Therefore we cannot afford actions that harm our economy, agriculture, people’s wallets or the functioning of our social welfare systems. All decisions regarding the future of our good economic and political cooperation, including with Ukraine, will be based solely on the interests of Poland and Poles," he said.
He expressed hope for greater involvement of Polish companies in Ukraine and enhanced economic cooperation.
"Russia can be defeated and we must defeat Russia, but this can only happen through mutual agreement between us," he added.
Speaking about the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Nawrocki noted that "it was Poland that woke up its European partners in the last days of February 2022".
"The Polish president addressed the leaders of the free world, and the Polish prime minister visited Berlin and the German chancellor, calling for more involvement than just sending 5,000 helmets (...). Without the support of our country, Ukraine might have fallen in the first days of the war, despite the heroism, dedication and sacrifice of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," he concluded.
Nawrocki, who also heads the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, previously stated that unresolved historical issues between Kyiv and Warsaw prevent Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed Nawrocki’s remarks about Ukraine’s future in the EU and NATO as "biased and manipulative".
Recently, Nawrocki reaffirmed his stance but expressed readiness for dialogue with Ukraine should he win the Polish presidential elections.