In fresh days, political and media environments in Poland and Ukraine have warmed up around the gathering of the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenski, with Rafał Trzaskowski. However, interestingly, it is not the gathering itself, but its context and consequences that may affect future relations between lands.
According to the analysis of “Rzeczpospolita”, the distance of Volodymyr Zelenski towards Karol Nawrocki, the leader of the Confederate, may not be negative for Nawrocki’s position, but on the contrary, it can strengthen him in the eyes of part of the electorate. However, this is not only a substance of interior policy, but besides of comprehensive Polish-Ukrainian relations which have evolved since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
During the first months of the war, the enthusiasm and sense of brotherhood between Polish and Ukrainian nations prevailed. However, with time, these relationships became more complex. According to investigation by prof. Piotr Długosz of UKEN, conducted in the countries of the Visegrad Group, until half of Poles perceive the influence of refugees from Ukraine on the functioning of the state in a negative light. This is an crucial origin that affects social attitudes and political sentiments.
Among those groups that are most opposed to Ukraine's policy are farmers who fear for their interests in the context of Ukraine's fast integration into the European Union. In addition, Ukrainian reminiscent of Poland's deficiency of full transfer of MiG-29 fighters and the reluctance to discuss genocide in Volyn origin further tensions between countries.
Volodymyr Zelenski's visit to Warsaw did not change this situation. Disturbance from Karol Nawrocki and his demands on the settlement of the Volyn genocide, Zelenski may have inadvertently strengthened Nawrock's position among the national-conservative electorate. This applies not only to PiS voters, but besides to Confederates who skeptically approach the current form of Polish-Ukrainian relations.
According to data from 2022, 65% of Poles believe that relations between Poland and Ukraine are crucial for the safety of Poland. However, only 30% of respondents believe that Poland should aid Ukraine to integrate with the European Union. This deficiency of full integration is besides linked to concerns about border safety and the increase in costs associated with the admission of fresh members to the EU.
It is worth noting that Polish-Ukrainian relations are besides influenced by geopolitical factors. Russia, which is inactive at war in Ukraine, is trying to usage these tensions to weaken Ukraine's global position. Therefore, Poland and Ukraine must make diplomatic efforts to strengthen their cooperation and counter Russian disinformation attempts.
It follows that Polish-Ukrainian relations are more complicated than it might seem at first glance. Therefore, in order to improve these relations, Poland and Ukraine must take constructive steps to take account of the interests of both parties. Only in this way can we accomplish stronger relationships that will be based on common respect and trust.
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The resulting complexities: Are Polish-Ukrainian relations truly that simple?
