Poland Difficult partners: Selenskyj and Nawrocki talk on the phone
Poland's future right-wing conservative president Karol Nawrocki has spoken to Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time on the phone. Nawrocki promised further support for the country under attack from Russia. At the same time, the doctor of history announced that he would address the difficult bilateral past in his contacts with Zelensky.
31.07.2025, 17:44
31.07.2025, 17:45
SDA
Nawrocki called himself "the voice of the people who demand a change in Ukraine's approach to important and still unresolved historical issues", according to a spokesperson in Warsaw.
Volhynia massacre during the Second World War strains relations
This refers to ethnic cleansing between 1943 and 1945, particularly in the once Polish and now Ukrainian region of Volhynia: The nationalist Ukrainian Insurgent Army UPA murdered up to 100,000 Polish men, women and children. Ukraine only authorized excavations to search for these victims a few months ago.
Outgoing Polish President Andrzej Duda was an important supporter of Ukraine; he visited Kiev in April 2022 shortly after the start of the Russian invasion. Nawrocki is skeptical about Kiev's aspirations to join the EU and NATO. He takes office on August 6.
Selensky did not address the issue of history in his comments on the phone call. "We are counting on Poland to remain our reliable partner and ally," he wrote on the social network X. He added that he and Nawrocki had agreed on mutual visits "during which we will discuss all ongoing issues of bilateral cooperation".
