Ukrainian President's Office rejects Polish official's claims regarding Ukraine's lack of appreciation for support
The Ukrainian President's Office has called groundless a Polish official's claims that Kyiv does not sufficiently appreciate the assistance provided by Poland.
Source: Andrii Sybiha, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office; European Pravda
Details: Sybiha's remarks were made in response to the allegations made by Marcin Przydacz, Secretary of State and Head of the Office for International Policy in the Administration of Polish President Andrzej Duda, regarding the situation with the blocking of Ukrainian grain exports through Poland.
Przydacz said in an interview with Polish media that Ukraine has received remarkable support from Poland and that it "should start appreciating the role that Poland has played for Ukraine in recent months and years".
Quote: "We categorically reject the attempts by some Polish politicians to impose on Polish society a groundless idea that Ukraine does not appreciate Poland's assistance. This is obviously a game of self-interest that has nothing to do with reality. It's manipulation. The reality is a friendly and open dialogue between the Presidents of Ukraine and Poland, who have a high level of mutual understanding and trust."
More details: Sybiha noted that Ukraine, in fact, expresses its gratitude to Poland and other allies every day by Ukrainian forces continuing to hold the line.
"Polish weapons in the hands of the Ukrainian military effectively deter the Russian aggressor. And supporting us with weapons is not charity but an investment in Poland's own security. It is the Ukrainians who are defending the values and security of our region and doing so in the interests of Poland and the entire free world," Sybiha said, adding that this is the "highest level of gratitude" that is strange to ignore.
He also recalled that Ukrainians, thanks to all the solidarity support from Poland, now consider Poles one of their closest nations: "Trying to 'haggle' something more out of Ukraine while it is at war is tantamount to treachery, which should have no place in our relations.
Everyone knows the conditions in which Ukrainian farmers work today, putting their lives at risk in mined fields and under missile fire. Given these exceptional circumstances, pushing Ukraine to accept the closing of borders for Ukrainian agricultural products as part of its gratitude to Poland is equivalent to forcing us to agree to euthanasia. There is nothing worse than when your saviour demands a rescue fee from you while you bleed to death," said Sybiha.
Meanwhile, he voiced confidence that these remarks are inappropriate for Polish-Ukrainian relations and that Ukraine and Poland are "fated for a strong alliance and brotherhood".
"Russia will always seek to divide us, but we will survive because our strength and security lie in unity," Sybiha said.
Andrii Sybiha noted that he chose this form of response, given that Przydacz's words were said in a public interview.
Background:
- Ukraine has been forced to export agricultural products by land and river transport since Russia pulled out from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and began bombarding Ukrainian ports, blocking maritime exports.
- Some of Ukraine's western neighbours have expressed willingness to help with exports, but "not at the expense of their own farmers".
- Robert Telus, Polish Minister of Agriculture, said Poland is ready to impose a unilateral ban on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine if the EU decides not to extend the current measures.
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