Poland’s Karol Nawrocki Under Fire for Ukraine Comments
Karol Nawrocki, a Polish presidential candidate, has been criticized by the Foreign Ministry in Kyiv. The ministry said Nawrocki’s comments on Ukraine were “manipulative.”
Nawrocki made his comments during a television interview. He said that he does not think Ukraine will join the European Union or NATO soon.
The main reason for this is the 1943 Volyn massacre, where tens of thousands of Poles were killed by Ukrainian forces. Nawrocki said that a country responsible for such a crime cannot be part of international alliances.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry responded to Nawrocki’s comments. They called them “biased and manipulative.”
Nawrocki is campaigning with the opposition Law and Justice Party (PiS). Poland will hold presidential elections on May 18.
Tensions between Poland and Ukraine are ongoing due to the legacy of the massacre. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that there is still “constructive dialogue” between Kyiv and Warsaw.
Poland and Ukraine have agreed on a joint statement about the exhumation of Volyn massacre victims in Ukraine. Nawrocki criticized this agreement, saying it was made by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to boost his own presidential campaign.
Nawrocki also accused Sikorski of being interested only in short-term political gains and not in Poland’s strategic security interests.
The dispute between Poland and Ukraine is ongoing as the two countries prepare for their respective presidential elections.