President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that Poland's presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2025 will contribute to Ukraine's full membership in the EU.
"Our political dialogue has a good dynamics, and this is our second meeting this year. Of course, it could have happened even earlier, if it was not for the restrictions due to COVID-19," the Ukrainian Head of State said during a meeting with media representatives following a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Kyiv.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Poland passes the challenge of the pandemic with flying colors.
"Our countries are united not only by a common border, but also by common values and positions on key issues of the European and international agenda," he stressed.
The President of Ukraine said that during the negotiations the parties had discussed the current situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea. In particular, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about concrete and difficult steps taken by the Ukrainian party to restore peace in Donbas.
"I am glad that our views with Mr. President Duda on the ways to end the war coincide. I very much appreciate your personal attention to Ukraine, a clear position on its sovereignty and territorial integrity," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian President also stressed the importance of coordinating actions on energy security as an important element of Europe's security.
"I am thankful for the decisive position of both the President and the whole of Poland on the Nord Stream 2 project and Gazprom's monopoly on the European market," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
He reminded that last week, during the 22nd Ukraine-EU Summit, further deepening of Ukraine's political association and economic integration with the European Union was outlined.
"We are grateful to our Polish friends, who continue to be the "locomotive" of Ukraine's rapprochement with the European Union. Our strategic goal is full membership in the European Union. I hope that Poland's presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2025 will fully contribute to achieving this goal," the Ukrainian President said.
In addition, Poland provides practical assistance in reforming Ukraine's security and defense sector in line with NATO standards. As an example of successful cooperation between Ukraine and Poland, Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the development and reinforcement of the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade.
"In addition, we discussed the Three Seas Initiative and, most importantly, Ukraine's substantive interest in joining this important initiative for us. I expect support from Mr. Duda as one of the initiators of such an important platform for dialogue," the President of Ukraine said.
For his part, Andrzej Duda noted that during the talks today much attention had been paid to security. He stated that Poland would continue to support Ukraine.
"Poland stands side by side with Ukraine in the issue of Ukrainian borders and the need to restore these borders to internationally recognized ones, which means the return of Ukraine's control over part of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and the return of Ukraine's control over Crimea. I would like to emphasize that the issue of Crimea is also very important," he said.
According to the President of the Republic of Poland, Poland raises the issue of maintaining sanctions against Russia until the deoccupation of Crimea at all international platforms.
"Mr. President drew attention to Poland's presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2025, but I drew attention to the fact that in 2022 Poland will chair the OSCE. And there, too, I assure you, Mr. President, the issues of Ukraine, its sovereignty and borders will be on the agenda, we will remember this, and Ukraine can count on Polish support," Andrzej Duda assured.
