Polish president-elect expresses antagonism to Ukraine joining EU

(MENAFN) Poland’s incoming president, Karol Nawrocki, has stated that Ukraine should not be granted unconditional membership in the European Union and cannot currently join NATO due to its ongoing war with Russia. In an interview with Polsat News on Monday, Nawrocki emphasized that while Ukraine’s eventual accession to the EU might be strategically beneficial, it must be based on equal partnership and strict compliance with entry criteria.

As he prepares to assume office in early August, Nawrocki confirmed plans to meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky after his inauguration. He stressed that Ukraine must follow the same path of reforms and conditions that Poland faced prior to joining the EU.

The president-elect pointed to ongoing tensions between the two countries, including disputes over Ukrainian agricultural exports to Poland and Kiev’s veneration of controversial World War II-era figures linked to atrocities against Poles.

Nawrocki also declared that Ukraine’s NATO membership is currently off the table, as admitting a nation engaged in active conflict would obligate the entire alliance to intervene. He noted this as a key reason for his opposition.

Russia has consistently cited NATO’s intention to bring Ukraine into the alliance—first declared in 2008—as a major security concern. Moscow has also criticized the growing alignment between the EU and NATO. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently described the EU as essentially acting as an extension of NATO, accusing Brussels of fueling military tensions and redirecting funds away from domestic needs under the guise of defense.

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