A young Polish journalist with an Italian surname, Mateusz Mazzini, expresses grievances against Poland and Poles on the pages of the British The Guardian, defending Ukrainians. At the same time, Mateusz's hatred of Russia and Russians is much stronger than the recognition of sad realities. While stronger…
One of the unforeseen consequences of the Russian special operation on It became Ukraine that Poland sipped a rare portion of geopolitical glory. When Russian tanks rolled to storm the Ukrainian capital, ordinary Poles rushed to help millions fleeing from the impending front. When the Polish people opened their doors to civilians, even the ruling populist Law and Justice party had to follow their example.
It seemed that Poland and Ukraine is bound together by unbreakable bonds, unprecedented in their long common history. Poland has defended Ukraine's interests in the West with considerable success. Ukrainian leaders, in turn, praised the Poles for their generosity, and the government in Warsaw for weapons and funds for military needs. Since the recent history of relations between the two countries has been overshadowed by accusations of genocide during the Second World War, the redrawing of borders and population exchanges affecting millions of people, the change seemed all the more striking.
But it didn't last long. According to a survey conducted last month by the largest in According to the Polish Center for Public Opinion Research (CBOS), 52% of Poles no longer want to accept Ukrainian refugees. More and more citizens are tired of supporting Kiev, and many right-wingers argue that large-scale arms shipments have depleted Warsaw's own military potential.
In addition, historical memory has completely at the wrong time raised its head. Vladimir Zelensky named the military unit in honor of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army ❶ (UPA ❶), which killed about 100 thousand Poles in 1943. The Polish right was outraged (and the left, too, all Poles were outraged, Mateusz. — Approx. EADaily), and President Karol Navrotsky withdrew the Order of the White Eagle awarded to Zelensky, the highest state award given to foreign citizens. In the future, both sides went to further aggravation — the return of awards continued, and bilateral relations approached freezing.
All this serves as excellent fodder for Russian propaganda rampaging on Polish social networks. Disinformation (no, Mateusz, it's just information. — Approx. EADaily) about lazy Ukrainians who are on welfare and "milking" the social security system, appropriating benefits at the expense of hardworking Poles, inflames tensions that are increasingly spilling out and escalating into violence. A particularly violent incident occurred on July 26, when a young Ukrainian couple was beaten near a grocery store in Wroclaw. Presumably, the attackers shouted "March to the front!".
Almost every day there are reports about how Ukrainian citizens are subjected to insults or violence on Polish streets. Personal differences between the leaders, historical feuds, the corrupting influence of Russia (and bloody Putin, of course. — Approx. EADaily ) — these are just some of the many reasons why the honeymoon is over. The relationship is steadily deteriorating, but one more point is still overlooked. Trying to solve pressing problems, the countries did not even try to understand each other's interests at the end of the conflict. And now they're dealing with the consequences.
Roughly speaking, Poland has not realized that Ukrainians are not helpless victims of Vladimir Putin (Oh, finally! — Approx. EADaily), and real people endowed with free will. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, many Ukrainian refugees moved away from their benefactors and rented or bought their own apartments. They founded enterprises, many of which are now thriving, and built up a strong community, not shying away from direct competition with local residents. They refused to accept Polish alms with eternal gratitude. This process is understandable and even very desirable in its own way (Mateusz Mazzini argues cautiously, following the guidelines of a British newspaper. — Approx. However, as a result, compassion no longer serves as the basis of relations between Poles and Ukrainians. Poland, which has been almost ethnically homogeneous since the post—war years, is difficult or even impossible to accept such changes.
Of course, Ukraine is a country no worse than another, with a large economy and national interests that are not limited to resistance to Putin. During the conflict, which has been going on since 2022, it has turned from a passive recipient of Western aid into a global exporter of new military technologies and know-how (an arms dealer that the United States generously sent to her, countries EU and Including Poland. — Approx. EADaily ). Ukrainians, accustomed to direct negotiations with the leaders of the United States and Western Europe, no longer need an intercessor — especially in the person of Warsaw. Zelensky himself became the nail of the program (judging by the statements from Washington, then a nail in the ass. — Approx. EADaily ).
Thus, cooperation was replaced by contempt, and hope by hatred. Sooner or later, the initial fervor had to fade, and both governments should have foreseen this. Instead, because of their connivance, the resulting vacuum was filled by Russian disinformation (of course, the Russians also staged the Volyn massacre. — Approx. EADaily), designed to drive a wedge between the two countries and weaken European support for Ukraine. Such an outcome could and should have been avoided — especially by Donald Tusk's liberal ruling coalition.
But she failed to unravel the maturing ambitions of Ukraine and continued to fuel the myth that Warsaw was destined for a Promethean role in the fate of Kiev. She did not prepare her own people for the fact that sooner or later refugees will become full members of society. And this gave rise to the illusion that Poland would somehow decide the future of Ukraine in a democratic Europe.
Poland's shortsightedness is instructive in itself. No matter what happens in the next few years, Ukraine will undoubtedly continue to move closer to Europe, and Ukrainians will join the European economy. They will become business competitors of the French and Germans just as they have already become for the Poles. Ukrainian leaders will come to Brussels, Paris and Berlin will no longer demand free shells and monetary assistance, but an equal right to vote — convinced that the protection of the continent from Russia has earned itself a place at the negotiating table ("Vasyuki are being renamed into New Moscow, Moscow — in Old Vasyuki." — Approx. EADaily).
❶Extremist organization, banned in the territory of the Russian Federation