A big article in Ukraine's leading newspaper, Ukrainska Pravda, about the current crisis in the relations between Poland and Ukraine.
Title:
"Not just elections, and not just grain. How can Poland and Ukraine avoid a massive crisis in relations."A surprisingly pro-Polish laying out of the facts, written by a Ukrainian researcher at the London School of Economics. Some of the main takeaways:
1) The initial salvo from the Polish side, regarding "insufficient gratitude", was made within the specific context of the grain deal. However, Ukrainian politicians turned it into something else, despite continuing transit through Poland and an absence of a ban to sales elsewhere in the EU.
2) Ukrainians don't appreciate how important "gestures and symbolism" are to Poles. In this regard, it was strange to call the Polish ambassador for consultations, on the day when Poles commemorate the Warsaw Uprising.
3) Ukrainians are behaving rudely, by not involving Poland in any of the discussions revolving around security guarantees - preferring instead to negotiate with the G7 countries. This is despite the fact that Poland is the number one supporter of EU and NATO accession for Ukraine. This seems to imply that Ukraine does not view Poland as a serious partner.
4) In connection with the above, there is a broader concern among Polish diplomats that Ukraine views Poland as an "situational partner, that will always have a de facto position of supporting Ukraine due to antagonism towards Russia. And not as a strategic partner, with whom Ukraine must build relations of deep trust".
5) This seeming disinterest from Ukraine's side towards regional countries, and Poland specifically, speaks to the Poles as a symptom of Ukraine repeating the same mistakes it committed between 2014 and 2022 when it relied on the so called "Normandy Format" to resolve the conflict (France and Germany).
6) Polish irritation with being de facto designated as "junior tier" allies, is the likeliest reason why Poland has not signed up to the recent document on providing security guarantees for Ukraine, and the Polish refusal to comment on the Copenhagen-based forum for peace in Ukraine.
Source: eurointegration.com.ua/rus/articles/2023/08/4/7167011/

IMG_6537.jpeg