Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced that Kyiv will finalize its decision on Monday regarding its participation in the upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference, scheduled for June 25-26 in Gdańsk, Poland.
Speaking on national television, Sybiha stated he will brief President Volodymyr Zelensky on the logistical readiness and potential implications of attending the event. “Based on the results, the president will make a decision,” Sybiha said.
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Polish Sejm Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty expressed skepticism regarding Zelensky’s potential attendance, Polsat News reported.
Czarzasty predicted that Zelensky would not travel to Poland due to the current state of bilateral relations, which he characterized as being driven by “uncontrolled emotions” stemming from the ongoing diplomatic conflict. Czarzasty also questioned the potential impact on Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts if Zelensky opts to skip the Gdańsk conference.
Diplomatic fallout and “mirror” responses
Addressing the broader diplomatic dispute, Sybiha stated that Ukraine plans to respond proportionately to any hostile diplomatic maneuvers. “We will mirror all steps, especially if these steps are unfriendly and disrespectful to our country. The time of not noticing has passed,” the foreign minister asserted.
Sybiha argued that the recent revocation of the Polish state award extends beyond a personal matter, representing a broader disrespect toward the Ukrainian military and its citizens.
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He directed criticism at Polish President Karol Nawrocki, stating that Nawrocki’s actions have dismantled recent positive diplomatic developments. “It is not for nothing that he receives applause from Moscow,” Sybiha noted.
Despite the forceful rhetoric, Sybiha emphasized the necessity of maintaining ongoing diplomatic engagement with Warsaw, citing shared regional challenges and common European interests.
State award dispute
The current tensions follow a coordinated move by President Zelensky and three former Ukrainian presidents to formally renounce the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state honor, over the weekend.
Zelensky announced on Saturday that he had returned the physical award to Nawrocki by mail. In a published statement, Zelensky noted that if the order could be held by historical figures such as Catherine II and Benito Mussolini, Ukraine would not contest its revocation.
Following Zelensky’s announcement, former Presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko also declared they would give up the Order, citing historical reconciliation efforts and a refusal to allow foreign dictation of Ukrainian national memory.
The diplomatic disagreement originated when Nawrocki announced the revocation of Zelensky’s award in response to Ukraine granting a military unit the honorary title “Heroes of the UPA.” The Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) is recognized in Ukraine for its independence struggle, but Warsaw holds the organization responsible for the killings of Polish civilians in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia during World War II.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has criticized the escalating conflict, warning that tensions over historical memory and state awards serve Russian interests and urging both presidents to calm the situation.
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