One incautious interview with the head of the Polish foreign policy department Vitold Vashchikovsky questioned the main capital of Polish-Ukrainian relations over the past 25 years. And this capital is not even in trust and mutual understanding. He is in a sense of reality, writes on EspresoTV journalist Vitaly Portnikov.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, through the Polish edition, conveys to Ukrainians the message of the current Polish leadership: "You will not enter Bandera into Europe". Loud, beautiful and meaningless slogan. I will not argue with a high-ranking diplomat regarding the assessment of the historical role of Stepan Bandera - this is primarily a task for historians, not politicians and publicists. I am much more interested in the Ukrainian campaign in Europe.
The association agreement with the European Union, which was signed three years ago, will begin to operate in full only in the autumn of this year. Ahead of our country - the years of its fulfillment. It is necessary to carry out a number of important reforms, to achieve the restoration of the territorial integrity of the country, to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria, to gain a prospect of membership. For all this, not a year, not two, not ten. Nobody knows what the European Union will be like at this time. Nobody knows whether Poland will be a member of this association. Nobody knows if he wants to apply to the European Union then Ukraine. All these are questions of a distant future. Therefore, it is clear that the ultimatum, which concerns this distant future - the ultimate nonsense. One thing I can guarantee to Vitold Vashchikovsky is very clear: at the moment when Ukraine knocks on the doors of the European Union, he will no longer be the Foreign Minister of Poland. The future of Polish-Ukrainian relations will then be determined by people who now can still be on student and school benches.
Even more striking is the example that the Polish foreign minister cites as a positive example of pressure on a sovereign state - the behavior of Greece towards the Republic of Macedonia. Greece's unwillingness to recognize the name of the neighboring country and the blockage of Macedonia's entry into NATO led to negative consequences for the alliance itself because of Russia's growing influence in the region and destabilization of the situation in Macedonia. But the attitude of Greece to Macedonia led to negative consequences for the Athens themselves. Greece missed the chance to become a regional leader. In Skopje, they never hoped for the support of a neighboring country and therefore constantly turned to other players. Earlier - to the main competitor of Greece in the region, Turkey. Then - to Russia. And in the end, Greece itself began to play by Russian rules in identifying the prospects of its energy policy. Is this not a vivid example of a transformation from a subject into an object?.
We in Ukraine - unlike the Macedonians, who did not trust the Greeks - from the first day of proclaiming the country's independence - trusted the Poles and had every reason to do so. But what we are seeing now is the most real suicide of Ukraine's "lawyer". Because Ukraine is interested in supporting Poland as much as Poland itself is interested in supporting Ukraine. Our country is precisely that state that separates - and protects - Poland from Russia.
Our country is this very state, cooperation with which allows Poland at least theoretically to claim the role of regional leader in conditions when most of its neighbors tend to have special relations with the Kremlin. Poland will not support Ukraine - and, like Greece, it will turn from a subject into an object. And Ukraine will have to look for other "lawyers" - and, I do not doubt, will find them.
I always believed that we and the Poles are united by common values. General understanding of democracy, freedom of speech, human rights, Europe. That Ukrainians can learn freedom on the example of "Solidarity" just like the Poles - the example of the Ukrainian Maidan. But from an interview with the head of the Polish Foreign Ministry, I learned that we and the Poles are divided by questions of historical memory, but between Poland and Belarus "there is no ideological war".
Did I mishear? Poland does not have any ideological problems with a country dominated by an authoritarian regime, in which there is no fair election, free press, free market? With the country that defeated the independent organizations of the Belarusian Poles? With the country that allowed Russian troops to its borders with Poland?.
Poland has problems with Ukraine, a country whose citizens have paid blood for all these values? And who by their courage did not allow the Russian troops on the Ukrainian borders with Poland. Maybe I do not understand something? Perhaps, I am naive - just like that, the Polish Minister of Ukrainians characterizes with a masterly negligence in his interview.
No, Mr. Minister. We are not naive. We know for certain that Europe will not win a conflict with Russia for us - simply because the Europeans do not want to fight and die next to us. And the Poles do not want. I'm not going to blame them for it.. I just want to remind you that while you and your interlocutors were communicating in a cozy office, a few of my naive compatriots could perish on the line of demarcation.
For Ukraine. For our and your freedom. For the security and future of Poland. That is why the support of our country - not only in ours, but primarily in your interests. A refusal of such support is not a betrayal of Ukraine.
This is the betrayal of Poland.