This year, Ukraine can take very concrete steps toward closer ties with the European Union, as Poland has started its six-month Presidency of the Council of the EU. This was stated by the President of Ukraine during his meeting with students of the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, where almost 300 Ukrainians are currently studying.
Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the institution has supported hundreds of Ukrainian students and their families. It has hosted humanitarian collections, sheltered forced migrants, and provided charitable assistance.
“I am an ordinary person, and I would like to thank you, the ordinary people of Poland, the students who supported ordinary Ukrainians in a very difficult moment through your volunteer work, assistance, attitude, and dedication. It seems to me that the most important thing is humanity, and these are the values we are all fighting for. I want to thank you for that,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
According to the President, the knowledge and experience gained by Ukrainian students, as well as the assistance and investment from partner countries, will be important for future reconstruction.
“I believe that the number one thing in the recovery of Ukraine, not even in the reconstruction, but in the recovery of Ukraine, is the people. This includes psychological and other kinds of rehabilitation. Because I believe that human capital is the most important thing. Today, Ukraine rests on the shoulders of its human capital,” the President noted.
In addition, during the meeting, the participants discussed in detail the future membership of Ukraine in the EU and the need for experts on European integration, as well as the development of Ukrainian-Polish relations and their strengthening.
“I see the development of our future relations in the defense of Ukraine, Poland and Europe. Because those who stood by you in the most difficult times, who paid the highest price, I believe, will remain with you in the future. We very much hope that we will maintain such relations with Poland,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy concluded.
