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Polish President reaffirms strength of Polish-Ukrainian relations, thwarts Russian divisive efforts: analysis

23.09.2023 15:15
Russian attempts to create divisions between Ukraine and its Central European allies faced a setback as Polish President Andrzej Duda reaffirmed the strength of Polish-Ukrainian relations on September 22, according to the US think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Polish President Andrzej Duda addresses a conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, Common Future, in the western Polish city of Poznań on Friday, September 22, 2023.
Polish President Andrzej Duda addresses a conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, Common Future, in the western Polish city of Poznań on Friday, September 22, 2023.Photo: PAP/Jakub Kaczmarczyk.

Andrzej Duda said "the cooperation with Ukraine and support for Ukraine is an issue of historic importance" at a conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, Common Future, in the western Polish city of Poznań on Friday.

Referring to the issue of Ukrainian grain imports, the Polish president said: "I have no doubt whatsoever that the dispute over the supply of grain from Ukraine to the Polish market is an absolutely secondary section of Polish-Ukrainian relations as a whole.”

ISW said in its latest report on Russia's invasion of Ukraine that Duda clarified Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morwiecki’s statement, made on September 21, emphasizing that Poland will continue to honour existing weapons supply agreements with Ukraine, but it will not transfer newly purchased weapons for its own military to Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that "currently Poland is not supplying Ukraine with any military equipment," adding that "Poland is now arming itself, with state-of-the-art weapons."

Additionally, the Institute for the Study of War's latest analysis stated that Duda also commented on the dispute concerning the export of Ukrainian grain along European land routes, affirming that it does not have a "significant impact" on the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Referring to its previous assessment, ISW said: "Russian strikes on Ukrainian port and grain infrastructure are part of a Russian campaign to damage Ukrainian relations with its Western neighbours, and Poland’s swift reiteration of its commitment to Ukraine indicates that this campaign is not succeeding as much as Moscow likely intends."

(ał)

Source: ISW, PAP