President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Warsaw for his first in-person talks with Poland's new nationalist president, Karol Nawrocki, aiming to repair strained ties after months of limited contact. Nawrocki has rejected multiple Kyiv invitations and raised disputes over historical Volhynia killings, EU/NATO access and refugee policy. Despite political friction and falling trust in Poland's presidency, Warsaw remains a key transit route for Western aid; both sides say even limited cooperation is preferable to none.
Zelensky Heads to Warsaw for Tense First In-Person Talks With Poland’s Nationalist President
Nationalist leader Karol Nawrocki became Polish president earlier this year (Sergei GAPON)(Sergei GAPON/AFP/AFP)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is traveling to Warsaw for his first face-to-face meeting with Poland's newly elected president, Karol Nawrocki, in an encounter widely expected to be tense after months of strained relations.
The leaders spoke by phone shortly after Nawrocki's election victory, but it has taken four months for a first in-person meeting to be arranged. The visit comes against the backdrop of Poland's major role in supporting Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, including hosting more than a million Ukrainian refugees and serving as the main transit route for Western military and humanitarian aid.
Points of Strain
Nawrocki, a nationalist historian, has publicly aired a series of grievances with Kyiv. Polish media report he turned down at least three invitations to visit Kyiv, a move Ukrainian analysts called "contemptuous." An EU official told AFP that Nawrocki's approach is "tougher than his predecessor" Andrzej Duda.
Among the disputes are historical tensions over the World War II-era killings in Volhynia, where Nawrocki has argued about Ukrainian responsibility for the deaths of tens of thousands of Poles and described the events as a "genocide against the Polish people." He has said he will press these issues while insisting they should not undermine strategic support for Ukraine.
Policy Differences and Domestic Politics
Nawrocki opposes what he calls "unconditional" membership for Ukraine in the EU and NATO and has ruled out sending "a single Polish soldier to Ukraine" after the war. He is also known for his admiration of former U.S. President Donald Trump and has criticized Kyiv for what he calls insufficient gratitude for Poland's reception of refugees and for Polish military and humanitarian support.
Domestic politics complicate Warsaw's foreign policy. President Nawrocki's positions sometimes clash with Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist government, creating mixed signals for international partners. Tusk publicly warned that if the president is unwilling or unable to help, he at least should not obstruct support for Ukraine.
Why the Meeting Matters
Analysts say the talks are important to re-establish a working dialogue. "The presidents need to gain some experience of dialogue with each other, which should, in theory, make it easier to resolve new conflicts in the future," Ukrainian analyst Yuri Panchenko told AFP.
Opinion polling in Ukraine shows trust in the Polish president has declined to around 44 percent, roughly 20 points lower than during the Duda era, underscoring the diplomatic challenge Zelensky faces in Warsaw. Still, officials emphasize that even limited cooperation will be preferable to no cooperation as the two countries navigate security, humanitarian and historical issues.
What to watch: whether the meeting produces concrete commitments on aid transit, refugee cooperation and a framework for handling historical disputes — and whether it calms or deepens tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv.
