Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his last interview that Poland had not fulfilled the agreement on the transfer of the planes. – If we take military, financial, economic, humanitarian aid and assistance to Ukrainian refugees, then in proportion to GDP, Poland has done more than any other country. We are also threatened by Russia and not everything is possible, commented the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that “Poland transferred as much military equipment to Ukraine as possible.”
President Ukraine in an interview for the RBK Ukraina website, he said, among other things, that Kiev unsuccessfully asked Warsaw to protect gas storage facilities in Stryj and to hand over MiG-29 planes.
On Thursday, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski When asked about Zelensky's words, he said that Poland is the leader among countries helping Ukraine.
– Ukraine has a difficult situation. As the West, we have sent Ukraine aid worth more than 200 billion euros. Among the countries helping Ukraine, if we take military, financial, economic, humanitarian aid and assistance to Ukrainian refugees, then in proportion to GDP Poland it has done more than any other country, Sikorski said at the conference in Olsztyn.
Sikorski: Ukraine has almost 300 of our tanks and a lot of heavy equipment
As he emphasized, “we can be proud of this, it is an expression of our solidarity with Ukraine.” – We have an intensive dialogue with Ukraine also in the field of security. Ukraine has almost 300 of our tanks, a lot of heavy equipment, including planes. We are trying to help, but we are also a frontline country. Us too Russia threatens and not everything is possible, said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Leopard tanks that Poland donated to UkraineMaciej Kulczyński/PAP
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was asked about the possibility of Poland intercepting and neutralizing missiles over Ukraine, he pointed out that it was a Ukrainian initiative and the Ukrainians were saying that “if this missile is flying towards Poland and is about to cross the border in a moment, we (Ukrainians – ed.) are asking so that you (Poles – ed.) will do this by advancing over our territory and we will not hold any grudges.
He emphasized that this is a legal and political question that asks “where does the right to self-defense begin and where does it end?” As he said, his opinion is that “if this missile were to enter our territory at any moment, we have the right to self-defense, especially since the Ukrainian government is asking us to do so.”
“Poland donated as much military equipment to Ukraine as possible”
Deputy Prime Minister, head of the Ministry of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on Thursday in a post on the X platform that “Poland transferred as much military equipment to Ukraine as possible.” He also emphasized that “the limit, however, is Poland's defense capabilities and security.”
The Minister of National Defense also emphasized that “the decision to shoot down missiles is always the response of the entire NATO, not one country. Today, there is no such decision of the Alliance,” Kosiniak-Kamysz noted.
Zelensky criticized Poland
In an interview for the RBK Ukraina website, the President of Ukraine said, among other things, that Kiev unsuccessfully asked Warsaw to protect gas storage facilities in Stryi. – We agreed with NATO sending allied planes to Poland so that Warsaw could hand over old MiG-29 fighters to Kiev. However, this did not happen, he said Volodymyr Zelenskyquoted by the RBK Ukraina website.
– We have good neighborly relations with Poland. There are various challenges, we constantly asked Poland to shoot down missiles heading towards Poland. We have gas storage facilities in Stryj, supplies for the entire country and our lives depend on it, he said.
– What do Poles do? Do they shoot down (missiles – ed.)? NO. Poles said they were ready to do it if NATO made such a decision, he added.
Zelensky also said that he had agreed with the then Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, that NATO planes would be sent to Poland by October in exchange for MiGs, which Poland would give to Ukraine. – We really wanted to receive MiGs from Poland, but they couldn't give them to us because they didn't have enough of their own. That's why we agreed with NATO to send them (planes – ed.), just like our Baltic friends, he said.
– That's what we agreed. And what happened next? Did Poland give us planes? NO. Did they find another reason? Yes. Have other countries united around Poland and said: “Since we are neighbors, we will shoot down (missiles) with both planes and air defense systems”? NO. When they decided not to shoot down these missiles with MiGs, we asked them to give us MiGs that would be stationed somewhere in western Ukraine and would shoot down the missiles, Zelensky said.
Main photo source: PAP/Paweł Supernak