Sikorski began the day by laying flowers at a residential building destroyed during the latest Russian air strike in the village of Lapaivka on the outskirts of Lviv, paying tribute to the victims of the ongoing war.
Accompanied by a group of government officials, Sikorski’s main purpose in Ukraine was to meet with Ukraine’s foreign minister to discuss, among other issues, technological cooperation aimed at improving security.
Ahead of his trip, Poland's top diplomat highlighted the need for Europe and Poland to develop anti-drone defenses and praised Ukrainian expertise in countering Russian unmanned aerial vehicles.
During his visit, he also delivered a lecture at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, which awarded him an honorary doctorate, according to a report by Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.
Sikorski warns against rising nationalism
"We face a simple choice. Either we accept the return of nationalist demons that have repeatedly devastated Europe – especially our region – or we choose the path of peaceful coexistence," Sikorski commented on social media, sharing a photo from the moment he was awarded the honorary academic title.
"Paradoxically, Moscow’s aggression served as a wake-up call for many. Putin dreamed of weakening Europe and pushing NATO away from his borders. Instead, he got two new member states and a huge increase in the alliance’s defense spending," he added.
The dean of the university’s Faculty of International Relations, called Sikorski “one of the most outstanding diplomats of our time” and welcomed him to the university.
In 2015, Sikorski received an honorary doctorate from NOVA University in Lisbon for his contributions to democratic reforms in Poland and European integration.
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Source: IAR/PAP/MSZ/X/@PolandMFA/@sikorskiradek