Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not attend the Conference on the Restoration of Ukraine, which will be held this week in the Polish port city of Gdansk, amid growing tensions between the two countries over their history from the Second World War. The annual conference is one of the most important international meetings dedicated to the restoration of Ukraine, and this is the first edition that Poland has hosted, writes Focus.
However, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko announced on social networks on Tuesday that she will lead the Ukrainian delegation to the event.
"Our team has a clear task – to reach concrete agreements that will strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities and resilience and expand economic cooperation with partners," Sviridenko wrote on Facebook.
"Ukraine is determined to build a constructive and mutually beneficial partnership in the interests of common European security, economic development and long-term prosperity. Ukraine respects its partners, and our cooperation is based on the principle of mutual respect. Thank you to everyone who helps us!", she added.
Warsaw was one of Kiev's most loyal allies in the context of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, but in recent weeks relations between the two nations have been tested due to an escalating diplomatic conflict.
The dispute stems from Zelensky's decision to name a Ukrainian military formation after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) – a World War II-era nationalist force that Poland holds responsible for the killing of tens of thousands of Poles. Ukraine disputes this interpretation, portraying the killings as part of a broader struggle for national independence during a period when Ukrainians were divided between the territories of Poland and the Soviet Union.
Zelensky's move has drawn widespread condemnation in Poland, and Polish President Karol Nawrotski decided last week to strip Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle – Poland's highest state award, which in turn sparked outrage in Ukraine.
Polish government spokesman Adam Szlapka called for calm and a focus on the practical aspects of the conference.
"Our task at this time, when tensions are high, is rather to de-escalate the conflict and ensure that Poland's security and economic interests are respected," Szlapka told the private Polish television channel Polsat on Tuesday. "The real, practical dimension is much more important than the political one," he added.
The conference represents an important opportunity for governments, companies and organizations to coordinate investments, reforms and support for Ukraine's long-term recovery after the Russian invasion. Leading European figures are expected to attend the event on Thursday, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as well as other dignitaries and delegations from 50 countries.