The presidents of Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine - Karol Nawrocki, Gitanas Nauseda, and Volodymyr Zelensky - jointly participated in Sunday ceremonies in Vilnius commemorating the 163rd anniversary of the 1863 January Uprising outbreak. The delegation of democratic Belarus, led by opposition leader Svetlana Tsihanouskaya, also took part in the event.
In his speech at the Vilnius Cathedral, President Nawrocki emphasized that the 1863 January Uprising, although militarily defeated, was a moral and spiritual victory. It awakened the conscience of nations, preserved their identity, and conveyed to future generations the message that, regardless of the circumstances, surrender is unacceptable.
The Polish head of state also emphasized that thanks to this belief, Poland and Lithuania regained independence in 1918 - and its legacy is that today we can call out loud things like "aggression" and "freedom" by their proper names.
Karol Nawrocki pointed out that history repeats itself, and its most dangerous moments always begin with an attempt to deprive others of their freedom. In this situation, the question posed after the January Uprising - "Was it worth it to fight?" - is not confined to the past and returns with full force. That is because today, we live "in a world where imperial aggression is resurfacing again. In a world where one of Europe's nations - Ukraine - has been forced to defend its freedom against Russian attack for four years" - the Polish president said.
"However, it depends only on us whether this repetition turns out to be a return to living under occupation - or a confirmation that Europe has learned from its past" - Karol Nawrocki concluded.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda argued that the desire for freedom had accompanied previous generations and helped them survive new waves of repression, forced indoctrination, and the destruction of national identity. "The example of Ukraine shows that the desire for freedom cannot be defeated" - he emphasized.
"Massacres, repression, and propaganda pressure unite us even more, strengthen our resolve to resist, and bring victory closer. I believe that one day the democratic forces of our neighbors, the Belarusians, will also triumph" - Nauseda added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the 1863 January Uprising had already shown that the fates of Poles, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians are interwoven.
"Today we are all here in Vilnius to commemorate and thank the participants of the January Uprising for their courage. An uprising that confirmed that we - Ukrainians, Poles, Lithuanians, Belarusians - are destined to be together, and that our success can only be the one we share" - President Zelenskyy said in the Vilnius Cathedral.
According to the Ukrainian head of state, everyone in Europe must work daily to ensure its strong position. "Therefore, it is extremely important for Europe not to lose any of the nations currently living in freedom. Just as it is extremely important not to waste any time" - Zelenskyy argued.
Following the ceremony at Vilnius Cathedral, President Nawrocki continued his one-day working visit to Lithuania. His meeting with Gitanas Nauseda and Volodymyr Zelenskyy provided an opportunity for talks within the Lublin Triangle format, connecting Warsaw, Vilnius, and Kyiv. The leaders of the three countries discussed the current security situation, Russia's aggressive policies, and how to respond to them.
In the afternoon, the Polish, Lithuanian and Ukrainian presidential couples attended another ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1863 January Uprising, this time at the Rasos Cemetery. On the occasion, Karol and Marta Nawrocki also laid wreaths at the Mausoleum of the Mother and the Heart of the Son, where Józef Piłsudski's mother, Maria Piłsudska, and his heart are buried.
(mm)
Source: PAP