A dispute between the two countries erupted over a World War II military unit — and a stripped state honor.
Milena Wälde
Zelenskyy then skipped the Ukraine Recovery Conference in late June, sending Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko to lead the country’s delegation instead.
Tusk’s comments mark a sharper tone from the prime minister, who has repeatedly urged both sides not to let historical disputes undermine cooperation against Russia.
Earlier on Friday, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski met his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha in Warsaw to ease tensions. Sikorski had previously called Nawrocki’s decision to strip Zelenskyy of the medal an “inappropriate” response, as it “humiliated the president of Ukraine personally.”
Tusk said he had received signals that Kyiv now understood “it is worth looking for ways to have an honest conversation also about the past.” Reconciliation will likely be “a long process,” he added, “but good Ukrainian-Polish relations are in mutual interest.”
