Poland does not need outside mediators to help resolve its worsening diplomatic dispute with Ukraine, government spokesperson Adam Szłapka said on Tuesday, June 24.
According to Polish outlet TVP World, Szłapka acknowledged that relations between Warsaw and Kyiv have become more strained but said both countries should work directly to reduce tensions.
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“I think we do not need any intermediaries in Poland’s relations with Ukraine,” Szłapka said. “I think it’s in the interest of Poland and Ukraine to de-escalate this dispute. We have a lot to do together.”
The latest dispute stems from disagreements over historical issues related to the World War II-era killings of Poles by Ukrainian nationalist groups, a subject that has long strained relations between the two neighboring countries.
Diplomatic tensions escalate
Relations deteriorated further last week after Polish President Karol Nawrocki revoked the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state honor, previously awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2023.
Nawrocki said the move was prompted by Zelensky’s decision to name a Ukrainian special forces unit after a nationalist group that Poland links to the World War II massacres of Polish civilians.
Poland classifies the killings as genocide, while Ukraine views the events as part of a broader struggle for national independence, during a period when Ukrainian territories were divided between Poland and the Soviet Union.
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Kyiv announced that Zelensky would not attend a major conference in Poland focused on Ukraine’s future reconstruction, while politicians and officials from both countries have returned state awards.
European officials offer assistance
Several European officials offered to help facilitate dialogue between Warsaw and Kyiv.
European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said the EU was prepared to help resolve the dispute, arguing that divisions between Poland and Ukraine ultimately benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Lithuanian presidential foreign policy adviser Asta Skaisgiryte also suggested that additional diplomatic efforts may be required.
“We will most likely need to make efforts again to bring the two presidents to the negotiating table,” Skaisgiryte said, according to Lithuanian media.
Tusk urges de-escalation
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has also called for restraint, describing the public dispute between Nawrocki and Zelensky as a “strategic mistake.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Tusk said his government was working to limit the political consequences of the disagreement.
“I understand the sentiment, but with Poland’s strategic security in mind, I will not contribute to fueling these tensions,” Tusk said.
“It is in Poland’s long-term interest to build relations with Ukraine based on a vision of the future,” he added.
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