Ukraine Again Falling Out With Allies Over Perceived Lack of Gratitude For Support

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA - JUNE 12, 2023: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy seen during a
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Oliver JJ Lane

Ukraine has summoned the Polish ambassador over “unacceptable” comments made about Kyiv’s gratitude — or rather, a perceived lack thereof — for the considerable military and fiscal support given to the nation to help it fight Russia.

The Polish President’s international policy chief Marcin Przydacz said Monday that: “Ukraine has really received a lot of support from Poland. I think it would be worth them starting to appreciate the role that Poland has played for Ukraine in recent months and years.” According to a report in Wprost magazine, when pressed he doubled down on the point, saying in Warsaw: “…we must stand firmly in the interest of the Polish state here, and Ukraine should start appreciating what Poland does for it.”

The remarks caused anger in Kyiv, which summoned the Polish ambassador for a dressing down on Tuesday. Per an official statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the remarks implying a lack of gratitude “do not reflect reality and as such are unacceptable”. The spat is the latest development in a disagreement between the two nations, with the Ukrainian Prime Minister saying last month that Poland taking steps to protect its economy — perhaps at Ukraine’s cost — was “unfriendly and populist”.

Responding to Monday’s remark, Ukrainian diplomat and ally to President Zelensky, Andrij Sybiha expressed his outrage at Poland’s remarks saying the nation “categorically rejects” the claims, calling them manipulative and taking “the side of evil” — Russia.

While Ukraine protests the claims in the strongest terms, this is not the first time in recent weeks that they have faces such accusations. At the NATO summit in July, top Kyiv ally the United Kingdom’s Ben Wallace had words of caution for Ukraine, cautioning they should show more gratitude for their backers. This again triggered a flurry of denial, and even a sarcastic putdown by President Zelensky himself.

For some, it was this sarcastic retort at the suggestion that Ukraine could be more diplomatic with their allies that embodied the sort of issue that was being raised. One such person to air this view was the Ukrainian ambassador to London, who said such sarcasm wasn’t “healthy”.

The ambassador’s remark was seen in Kyiv as criticism of President Zelensky’s leadership, and he was immediately removed from post and returned to Ukraine by Presidential decree.

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