An extraordinary meeting of the European Council was held in Brussels with the participation of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. “I met with President Zelensky in the format of a direct, face-to-face conversation, and there we also discussed key topics related to the current phase of the fight for a safe and stable Europe, because let’s not forget, ladies and gentlemen, that in Ukraine soldiers also die for our freedom” – Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said after the meeting of the European Council.
During the press conference following the end of the extraordinary meeting of the European Council, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that the talks focused on the most important issues aimed at “as soon as possible peace”. “For this peace to be just, for it to be good, it must be a victorious peace. For it to be a victorious peace, we, as the European Union, must support Ukraine with arms supplies, humanitarian and financial support” – noted the head of the Polish government, pointing out that a broad involvement of the entire European Union is very needed. “And that was a kind of Poland’s task from the very beginning, and our activity was focused on this. I can say, looking back almost a year from the beginning of the war in Ukraine, that Poland paved paths that were later accepted by everyone as something absolutely acceptable as something to be implemented” – Mateusz Morawiecki did not hide his satisfaction.
“First, we warned against the war and later, unfortunately, it turned out that we were right. We were among the first to deliver weapons to Ukraine, and these were actual deliveries of weapons. We also visited Kiev on March 15, together with President Jarosław Kaczyński and Mr. Prime Minister Petr Fiala and the then Prime Minister of Slovenia Janša. This also showed that Kiev is still fighting, that Kiev does not give up. Many delegations followed us there. We were also the first to propose – here also the role of President Andrzej Duda – candidate status for Ukraine, and this is so important for Ukraine, because it gives them hope for a better future” – he enumerated. The Prime Minister emphasized that “yesterday, during many talks, many meetings with President Zelensky, it was a matter that he emphasized many times: you gave us hope, you opened the door, don’t keep us in the vestibule, let us go inside.”
“I think that we are at such a strategic moment in the history of Europe and the history of the world that we should be able to think outside the beaten track of decision-making here in Brussels, which is why I am glad that this postulate was also set out by us and later adopted” – head of the Polish government noted.
“Then you can recall the issue of the Patriots. It was President Jarosław Kaczyński who proposed that these Patriots be in Ukraine. During the first month, many commentators took water in their mouths, commented negatively. After another month, it turned out that the matter is not only possible, but it is already underway. Then December-January saw the building by me, by Polish diplomacy, a whole coalition of countries that would organize deliveries of Leopard tanks to Ukraine. And it turned out that we overcame this reluctance, this powerlessness, this impossibilism on the side of our Western partners, but also of many other countries, and this coalition is getting stronger and stronger. Real signs of support can be read here” – he continued.
“Finally, also the nine sanctions packages so far. If you look at the last year, ladies and gentlemen, Poland’s role was huge. It was actually essential in setting subsequent milestones on the way to implementing the sanctions packages against Russia” – Morawiecki noted, adding that “if the first half a year it could be pointed out that the sanction packages had little effect, I said it myself when I asked for more decisive action, so now I look at the macroeconomics, at the microeconomic impact on the Russian economy, and I can clearly see that this race against time can be won by us, by the free world, by the world that supports Ukraine”.
“Yesterday, I myself participated in three formats of meetings with President Zelensky. First, I spoke about key issues, the most important for Poland and Ukraine, at the European Council during discussions with President Zelensky. Then, in the format of several countries, including Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, with the high representative for foreign affairs, we met for a more detailed discussion with President Zelensky, and it was also an important debate” – the Polish prime minister reported. “And finally, I met with President Zelensky in the format of a direct, face-to-face conversation, and there we also discussed key topics related to this current phase of the fight for a safe and stable Europe, because let’s not forget, ladies and gentlemen, that in Ukraine soldiers also die for our freedom” – he concluded.
Anna Wiejak