Polish President Karol Nawrocki convened with the presidents of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Romania for a casual gathering in Jurata before the NATO summit in Ankara.
An informal session involving the presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Romania took place at the presidential residence in Jurata, organized by Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
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This meeting occurred ahead of the forthcoming NATO summit scheduled in Ankara, Turkey.
“Positions to be taken before the NATO summit in Ankara were deliberated. During the discussion, priorities were identified concerning regional collaboration and the security of the Baltic and Black Sea regions, while key matters related to transatlantic relations were also addressed,” the Presidential Chancellery reported on X.
The attendees also concentrated on reinforcing NATO’s eastern boundary, advancing Europe’s defense capabilities, and actions within the scope of the Bucharest Nine and the Three Seas Initiative.
According to the Chancellery, the presidents discussed challenges tied to the advancement of energy and transport infrastructure across the region. They further examined the future prospects of the European Union and the principal difficulties confronting the bloc.
Shortly before the discussions, the leaders toured the Naval Port of Gdynia.
Nausėda on facilitating dialogue in the Polish-Ukrainian disagreement
The topic of worsening relations between Poland and Ukraine was raised during the meeting. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda had previously expressed his willingness to mediate between Warsaw and Kyiv, on the condition that both parties are open to it.
“This issue, which is very significant to me, will also be addressed in this informal context,” noted the Lithuanian president. Nausėda emphasized his interest in hearing President Nawrocki’s viewpoint on the conflict’s origins and potential resolutions.
“While historical matters are important, the current situation is even more critical, especially in light of Russia’s ongoing aggressive war against Ukraine,” he underscored.
Context of the dispute
Tensions in Polish-Ukrainian relations heightened recently following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to name a military unit «Heroes of the UPA».
This act attracted criticism from figures including Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, as well as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.
In response, Nawrocki revoked Zelenskyy’s Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest distinction. The Ukrainian president subsequently returned the award to Warsaw via courier.
The dispute centers on differing historical evaluations of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which have been held responsible for the genocidal ethnic cleansing of Polish populations in Volhynia and Eastern Lesser Poland between 1943 and 1945.