Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Warsaw on Friday for talks with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, his first official visit to Poland since Nawrocki took office in August. The agenda centers on European security, efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, and sensitive historical issues that have strained relations between the neighbors.
The trip follows Zelensky’s address to an EU Council summit in Brussels, where he urged European leaders to tap frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine’s budget and defense needs over the next two years. Ukraine faces a projected €38 billion budget deficit next year as it tries to sustain the war effort and keep its economy functioning.
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In Warsaw, Zelensky is scheduled to visit both houses of Poland’s parliament and meet the speakers of the lower house and the Senate. It was not immediately clear whether he would deliver a speech to lawmakers. According to the Polish Press Agency, he may also confer with Prime Minister Donald Tusk later in the day, following the conclusion of the EU summit.
Poland has been one of Kyiv’s staunchest allies since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. A Polish government report in October estimated total support for Ukraine at more than €25 billion, most of it humanitarian and economic aid. Polish military assistance has topped €4 billion, while Polish civil society is believed to have contributed an additional €5 billion. More than 1.5 million Ukrainians live in Poland, including about 1 million war refugees.
Public sentiment has grown more complicated. A poll in October found that half of respondents believed social benefit payments to Ukrainian refugees were too high. At the same time, 58% said Ukrainians who work and pay taxes in Poland should retain access to healthcare and child benefits.
Nawrocki, a conservative historian and nationalist, has advocated continued support for Ukrainian independence while adopting a cooler tone toward Kyiv than Poland’s current government. He opposes any fast-track path for Ukraine to join the European Union and has voiced opposition to future Ukrainian membership in NATO—positions that diverge from the ruling coalition in Warsaw.
The Polish president has also pressed Ukraine to allow exhumations and memorialization of Poles murdered by Ukrainian nationalists during World War II, a longstanding source of tension. Historians estimate that about 100,000 Poles were killed in the Volhynia massacres between 1943 and 1945 in areas now part of western Ukraine. Nawrocki’s office has said “historical issues” will be on the table during Friday’s talks.
In an interview with Polish outlet WP.pl earlier this week, Nawrocki said, “I have a feeling that President Volodymyr Zelensky has become accustomed to a situation in which it takes Poland for granted in recent years.” The remark underscored friction points that have emerged as the war grinds on and domestic politics across Europe shift.
The Warsaw stop caps a whirlwind tour of European capitals by Zelensky over the past two and a half weeks, including a visit to Dublin where he addressed both houses of the Oireachtas. The diplomatic push comes at a critical moment for Ukraine as it seeks sustained Western backing and tries to keep momentum behind a U.S.-led initiative to end the war.
Despite disagreements on pace and policy, Poland remains a crucial hub for humanitarian aid, military transit and refugee support. Friday’s meeting is expected to probe those practical ties while testing how far both sides can go in addressing the past without derailing cooperation in the present.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
