Los historical grievances threaten to derail a annual conference about the reconstruction of Ukraine in Poland and damaging ties with one of the most important European allies of the country devastated by war.
The two day meetingwhich begins on Thursday in the Polish port of Gdanskin the north of the country, had the initial objective of helping the polish companies to get contracts to rebuild Ukraine when the war finally ends russian invasion.
But now the meeting is about both save bilateral ties like talking about business, after the Polish president, Karol Nawrockidecided to retire Volodímir Zelenski the highest state decoration of the country a few days before the conference.
Nawrocki cited the Ukraine decision of naming a military unit after its nationalist fighterswho killed some 100,000 Polish menwomen and children during the Second World War. The Ukrainian president stated that he was acting at the request of the soldiers as commander in chief of the country.
In response, Zelenskyseveral senior officials and three former presidents They also said they would return decorations they had previously received from Poland, demonstrating the extent to which relations between Kyiv and one of its allies have deteriorated. stronger supports since the war started ago more than four years.
The controversy comes at a time when Ukraine is showing safer on the battlefield, with drone attacks that hit deep areas of Russia and begin to affect the everyday life in large cities, including Moscow. At the same time, the peace talks led by the US are stalled, with no signs of Vladimir Putin is willing to accept a ceasefire.
