Tusk in Kyiv: Security, Energy, Economy and a New Pragmatism

President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk discussed support for Ukraine’s energy system on Thursday, Feb. 5, in Kyiv, which remains in critical condition after Russian attacks. The Polish prime minister was accompanied by his Finance Minister Andrzej Domański, underscoring the growing importance of economic issues alongside security concerns. The visit confirms that Polish-Ukrainian relations are increasingly entering a phase of calculation and pragmatism. Tusk spoke of “shared interests” and the “concrete dimensions of cooperation.” 

The Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk

In June, Gdańsk will host the ninth annual Ukraine Recovery Conference. The event focuses on international support for Ukraine, including economic development and democratic reforms. On Thursday, Poland joined the Ukraine Donor Platform as a temporary member.

Recovery does not mean only the physical reconstruction of war damage, but a broad modernization process – both “soft,” involving legal frameworks and enforcement, and “hard,” related to infrastructure. This requires investment, yet business and capital need peace and credible security guarantees. As a result, cooperation currently focuses on lower-risk areas such as services and trade. It seemed apt that, during Tusk’s joint press conference with Zelensky in Kyiv, an air raid siren could be heard in the background. 

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Security and business

Direct military aid dominated political discussion in 2022, but over time it has increasingly shifted toward joint ventures and industrial cooperation. Poland and Ukraine cooperate within the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defense program, as well as NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), which involves purchasing weapons for Ukraine from the United States. In the context of SAFE, Tusk emphasized not only security but also “good business.” At the same time, direct equipment transfers continue. Under the 48th military aid package, worth nearly $56 million, Poland will supply Ukraine with armored equipment. Additional MiG-29 fighter jets are set to be transferred in exchange for sharing drone and anti-missile technologies.

Energy: Orlen and Naftogaz

Tusk also met with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko – with energy cooperation, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, high on the agenda.

“In recent days, the first cargo of US LNG for 2026 has arrived in Ukraine thanks to the partnership between Ukrainian and Polish energy companies,” Svyrydenko wrote on X on Thursday. 

The deliveries are being organized in cooperation with the Polish state-owned company Orlen, which signed an agreement with Naftogaz for 300 million cubic meters of gas in November 2025. Nearly 100 million cubic meters have already been delivered to the LNG terminal in Świnoujście and transferred to Ukraine. Additional gas supplies are crucial during periods of extreme cold and intensified Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

Ukraine’s decision to allow the exhumation of Volhynia victims pushes the historical dispute into the background and opens space for a more pragmatic policy. This approach is shared by both the Polish government and the president – despite their domestic political conflicts, their strategic view of Ukraine remains largely aligned. Even if some statements by President Karol Nawrocki were skeptical in tone, Poland’s actual policy toward Kyiv remains consistent. In this sense, Polish-Ukrainian relations may be entering a new phase after 2022: from emotional solidarity and unconditional aid, through a period of tension, toward pragmatism.