Poland Must Be Present At All Key Forums Where Europe's Future Is Decided Sybiha

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) He stressed that Poland must be represented at all major international forums where decisions on the continent's future are made.

Ukraine's chief diplomat made these remarks in an article published on November 11 in the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita on the occasion of Poland's Independence Day, Ukrinform reports.

“I am convinced that the Ukrainian-Polish alliance will shape a new economic and security order in Europe. It is a new European engine, and its energy will propel Europe forward. This alsho means that Poland must be present at all key forums and in the most important decision-making formats where decisions about Europe's future are made,” Ukraine's Foreign Minister said.

He emphasized that Russia's full-scale aggression had changed Ukraine's understanding of who its true partners were and of the importance of international solidarity. In this context, he highlighted Poland's role in supporting Ukraine not only after the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, but also from the early years of Russia's aggression in 2014.

The minister recalled that while working at the Foreign Ministry's central office in Kyiv at the time, he received a phone call from a Polish citizen who simply asked how he could help Ukraine. According to Sybiha, the episode has remained in his memory ever since as a reminder that Ukrainians are not alone.

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Sybiha thanked Polish families who provided shelter to Ukrainians after the start of the full-scale war, as well as the Polish government for its support, which, he said, helped Ukraine withstand Russian aggression. At the same time, the Foreign Minister stressed that Ukraine does not want to remain merely a recipient of aid, but seeks to become an equal partner that contributes to Poland's development and security.

As an example of this partnership, Sybiha cited the economic contribution of Ukrainians in Poland. According to him, in 2025, Ukrainians who had sought refuge in the country from Russian aggression accounted for approximately 2.4% of Poland's GDP. Since the start of the all-out war, they have established more than 123,000 businesses in Poland. Nearly one in ten new sole proprietorships registered in Poland between 2022 and 2025 was established by Ukrainian citizens.

The minister also pointed to the growing number of Ukrainians working in Poland and paying social security contributions. According to him, the number of Ukrainian citizens under temporary protection fell by approximately 11% between January and September 2026, from 966,000 to 859,000. At the same time, the number of Ukrainians paying contributions to Poland's Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) increased by approximately 10% year on year, exceeding 910,000. This year alone, Ukrainians have paid PLN 7.4 billion (approximately EUR 2 billion) in contributions to ZUS. According to Sybiha, these figures point to a gradual shift from humanitarian assistance to a full-fledged economic partnership.

Ukraine's chief diplomat also outlined prospects for trade and investment. According to his figures, bilateral trade between Ukraine and Poland amounted to approximately PLN 76 billion in 2025. Polish exports to Ukraine reached nearly PLN 57 billion, almost twice the 2021 figure. Ukraine became the seventh-largest export market for Polish goods.

Poland's trade surplus with Ukraine exceeded PLN 37 billion last year. During the first eight months of 2026, Polish merchandise exports to Ukraine amounted to PLN 41 billion, generating a trade surplus of PLN 28.5 billion.

In Sybiha's view, the two countries should move beyond conventional trade and develop joint production, establish businesses, and enter global markets together. To achieve this, they need to improve border infrastructure, streamline customs procedures, and ensure that political disputes do not become an obstacle to economic cooperation.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister also called on Polish companies to take a more active role in Ukraine's reconstruction, not merely as suppliers of goods and services, but as investors and partners in establishing joint ventures and production facilities.

He identified energy as one of the promising areas of cooperation. In particular, through Polish infrastructure, Orlen supplies Naftogaz with hundreds of millions of cubic meters of natural gas, including U.S. liquefied natural gas. Meanwhile, Ukraine has Europe's largest underground gas storage capacity, most of which is located in the western part of the country, near the EU border. Combining Poland's gas import capacity with Ukraine's storage facilities could create a regional energy security system, Sybiha said.

He also identified defense industry cooperation as an important area. According to the minister, Polish weapons, including Piorun man-portable air defense systems and Krab self-propelled howitzers, have proven effective on the battlefield. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to improve its unmanned systems and electronic warfare capabilities through daily experience in combat.

“Combining Poland's manufacturing base with Ukraine's battlefield experience makes it possible to establish joint production facilities in Poland, create skilled jobs, and manufacture products that are in demand worldwide,” Sybiha emphasized.

He said that a joint Ukrainian-Polish working group on countering drones was already operational and that Ukrainian specialists were training Polish military personnel to operate interceptor drones. The minister also welcomed Poland's accession to the Anti-Ballistic Coalition, emphasizing the potential to combine Ukraine's experience in countering Russian missiles with Poland's defense capabilities.

In addition, Ukraine is ready to sign a Drone Deal with Poland to deepen cooperation in unmanned technologies.

Sybiha stressed that Ukraine's European integration also offers significant economic and security opportunities for Poland. Ukraine's accession to the European Union would expand markets for Polish businesses and investors and create new opportunities for regions, logistics hubs, and educational institutions. According to estimates by Ukrainian economists, Ukraine's EU membership could increase Poland's GDP by approximately 0.17%.

At the same time, the minister acknowledged that Ukrainian-Polish relations have difficult chapters, particularly those related to the Volyn tragedy. He emphasized the importance of objectively examining the past, honoring the victims with dignity, and ensuring that those who died are given proper burials.

He said Ukraine understands the expectations of Polish families who want to establish the fate of their loved ones and give them a dignified burial. At the same time, Ukrainians also remember their compatriots who were killed or subjected to forced displacement during the same period.

Sybiha noted that search and exhumation efforts were underway on both sides of the border and that historians had resumed regular dialogue. He described this as historic progress and urged both countries not to allow Russia to exploit the historical pain of families to deepen divisions between the two nations.

The Foreign Minister also drew attention to the results of a July CBOS poll, according to which 75% of Poles believe that, in the face of the Russian threat, Poland and Ukraine should prioritize cooperation rather than focus on their differences. In his view, anti-Ukrainian rhetoric should not become a tool of domestic political struggle, as Moscow is counting precisely on a rift between the two societies.

Sybiha also highlighted shared chapters of Ukrainian and Polish history which, he said, demonstrate the ability of the two nations to stand together against the Russian threat. He mentioned the victory of the allied forces under the command of Konstanty Ostrogski at the Battle of Orsha in 1514; the 1618 Cossack campaign against Moscow led by Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny; the Battle of Konotop in 1659; and the alliance between Symon Petliura and Józef Piłsudski in 1920. At that time, Ukrainian troops under the command of Marko Bezruchko defended Zamość against Budyonny's cavalry.

In conclusion, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister stressed that relations with Poland should be built not only on historical memory and emotional solidarity, but also on pragmatic partnership, shared economic interests, and joint responsibility for Europe's security.

“Polish assistance strengthens Ukraine's defense. Ukraine's resistance enhances the security of Poland and all of Europe. Ukraine is no longer merely a recipient of security assistance – it is becoming a security provider itself,” Sybiha emphasized.

As reported, ceremonies marking Poland's Independence Da are taking place in Warsaw and other parts of Poland on November 11.

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