On Saturday, Polish President Andrzej Duda emphasized his unwavering support for Ukraine, attempting to clarify remarks from the day before that stirred controversy. His Friday comments, which cast doubt on Ukraine’s ability to reclaim Crimea, faced backlash from both Polish and Ukrainian officials, causing him to issue a firm statement on his stance against Russian aggression.
“My actions and position on Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine have been clear from the start,” Duda wrote on the social media platform X. “Russia is violating international law; it’s an aggressor and an occupier. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and occupation of internationally recognized Ukrainian territories, including Crimea, is a crime. Ukraine must win.”
Duda’s earlier comments on Friday suggested uncertainty about whether Ukraine could regain control over Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. He noted that Crimea “is a special place,” adding that historically, it had been under Russian control for much of the time. These remarks were quickly met with criticism, particularly since Poland has been one of Ukraine’s most vocal supporters since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Poland’s official position has always been that Ukraine must regain all its territory, including Crimea.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, responded, stating that “Russia’s temporary occupation of Crimea is a war crime for which it will be punished. The liberation of Crimea is a shared task for us and the free world. There is no doubt that we will achieve it.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, a member of the new pro-European governing coalition opposing Duda, also reaffirmed that Poland recognizes Ukraine’s independence within its internationally established borders.
Roman Giertych, a lawmaker from Civic Coalition, Poland’s largest party in the new government, was blunt in his criticism of Duda’s remarks, calling them “incredibly stupid.” Giertych reminded Duda on X that some Polish cities had historically been under foreign rule for longer periods than others.
Duda’s follow-up statement on Saturday sought to reassure allies of Poland’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, highlighting that his position has always been against Russia’s aggressive actions and in favor of Ukraine’s eventual victory.
