«We live from strike to strike, not from one thank you to another: Zelenskyy sends sharp message to Poland
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged his Polish counterpart, Karol Nawrocki, to come to terms with the fact that Ukraine lives under constant bombardment, advising him to build pragmatic relations with the nation currently shielding all of Europe from the Russian Federation.
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy / © Associated Press / © Associated Press
Without Ukraine and its military, no one will be able to protect Poland. Therefore, the leadership in Warsaw should slightly adjust its approach and foster pragmatic ties with Kyiv, which is currently holding the European front line.
«Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with TSN host Alla Mazur, commenting on the acute diplomatic crisis between the two countries and the intentions of his Polish counterpart, Karol Nawrocki, to strip him of a top state award.»
Zelenskyy said that contemporary leaders must focus on international alliance-building and protecting interests in the «here and now,» rather than turning politics into disputes over the past.
«I am Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Not Prince Volodymyr—we are not talking about great historical figures from the past. We must think about today. I am the president now, protecting the interests of my state today. We must focus on international friendship. And Karol—that is his name, not his title, right? He leads a democracy, not a monarchy, so there is a need to build relations with Ukraine, which is currently defending Europe, including Poland,» the president stressed.
«Without a secure Ukraine, a protected Poland no longer exists»
The president said that Ukraine has never shied away from difficult conversations; however, today’s security realities must remain the top priority for both capitals.
«Aside from historical issues, which, by the way, we discuss openly, there must be respect for the present day, for our military, and for the future. Without Ukraine, no one will be able to protect Poland. It is simply impossible—if Ukraine is gone, a protected Poland no longer exists,» Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated.
«We do not live from „thank you“ to „thank you“
Commenting on accusations by Polish politicians regarding Kyiv’s alleged lack of gratitude, the president said that Ukrainians will always remember the early days of the full-scale invasion and the swift joint efforts with the then-Polish leader, Andrzej Duda.
«We worked very quickly to help our people. People were leaving, people were entering. We remember those times, and we—the Ukrainian people—are truly grateful to the Poles who helped,» the head of state remarked.
However, the country now operates under an entirely different reality, where the daily defense of human lives takes precedence over ritualistic diplomatic pleasantries.
«We are grateful, but… how do we live? From strike to strike. We do not live from „thank you“ to „thank you.“ And everyone needs to come to terms with that. We are grateful. But we cannot wake up, see the sunrise, and think, „We mustn’t forget to thank everyone today.“ People are simply dying. May we, in between expressions of gratitude, also defend all of you? Just in case,» the Ukrainian leader added emotionally.
The third party to the conflict
Zelenskyy also recalled the well-known truth that a third party always benefits from infighting among allies—and in this case, the Kremlin is already reaping the rewards. According to the Ukrainian president, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, has already capitalized on the situation, cynically expressing gratitude to the Polish leader for driving a wedge between Warsaw and Kyiv.
«Medvedev said thank you. Speaking of gratitude again—he personally thanked President Nawrocki for this,» Volodymyr Zelenskyy concluded.