Either Ukraine wins or Europe loses: PM Morawiecki in Kyiv

mmj/kb 26.11.2022, 10:57 |updated: 12:38
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In the war brought about by Russia, there can be only one result – either Ukraine wins or the whole of Europe loses, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Saturday in Kyiv, where he met with his Ukrainian and Lithuanian counterparts under the Lublin Triangle format.

“Europe has noticed the threat from Russia too late, which is why today we cannot procrastinate with providing help to Ukraine,” PM Morawiecki said, adding that “this war will end when each house, each school, each hospital and each road is reclaimed.”

The PM reassured that Poland stood with Ukraine in the international arena because our state stood on the side of freedom. “Poland, and I am sure that the same goes for Lithuania, will support Ukraine as long as necessary,” he stressed.

The Declaration of the Prime Ministers of the Lublin Triangle


While in Kyiv, PM Morawiecki, his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal and Lithuanian PM Ingrida Šimonytė talked about the military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, rebuilding the counbtry and its Euroatlantic ambitions.

“We have discussed current issues and challenges but also we have signed a joint declaration in which we outlined our stances,” PM Shmyhal said, adding that Poland, Lithuanian and Ukraine “stressed the role of the Lublin Triangle in reinforcing international support for Ukraine and counteracting Russia’s armed aggression.” Parties to the declaration confirmed their readiness to intensify the discussion within NATO on inviting Ukraine to accession talks in the light of approaching the Alliance summit in Vilnius. The signatories also stressed the importance of further strengthening the military, financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and also confirmed their participation in the rebuilding of Ukraine.

The declaration also expressed support for initiating negotiations on Ukraine’s EU accession immediately after the European Commission would have positively assessed the fulfilment of recommendations pertinent to a motion on membership.

Poland, Ukraine and Lithuania will collaborate on restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within internationally-recognised borders. The countries condemned the deportation of Ukrainians from Ukraine into Russia, the war crimes committed by Russian forces, including attacks on civilians, and civil and critical infrastructure, for instance, in the vicinity of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The officials also condemned the referenda organised by Russia in occupied Ukrainian territories, and Russia’s attempts to annex the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. They also stressed their non-recognition of the change of status of the said regions.

The declaration is also dedicated to the fight against disinformation and coordinating joint action for the benefit of Ukraine. The three states called on the international community to collaborate and stressed the importance of further sanctions on Russia and Belarus, as well as the significance of Ukrainian grain exports.

PM Shmyhal said that 2022 showed how important the unity of their countries and nations was, adding that the officials were working on further bolstering the partnership and their countries’ joint future in Europe.

Ukraine expressed its gratitude to Poland and Lithuania for their support and guaranteed its support to Polish and Lithuanian enterprises, which would be keen on setting up offices and production facilities in Ukraine. Furthermore, the Ukrainian government expressed its gratitude for the synchronisation of the Ukrainian electric energy system with that of continental Europe, and also for the immediate provision of humanitarian help and auxiliary equipment buttressing Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure that has been damaged by Russian attacks. Ukraine also thanked Lithuania and Poland for providing equipment needed to repair the infrastructure and stressed the need for continuous collaboration in the field of agriculture.

Remembering the victims of the Holodomor


PM Morawiecki recalled that November 26 in Ukraine is the Holodomor Memorial Day, with this year marking the 90th anniversary of the famine that had been deliberately unleashed by communists. It was in November 1932 that at the behest of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin Soviet police seized all grain and livestock from newly collectivised Ukrainian farms, including the seed needed to plant the next crop. Between four and 10 million Ukrainians died as a result of the Holodomor, Poland’s MFA recalled, adding that “in 2006, Poland recognised Holodomor as a genocide perpetrated against the Ukrainian nation.” Millions of Ukrainians starved to death in the following months from what Yale University historian Timothy Snyder calls “clearly premeditated mass murder”. “We meet on the 90th anniversary of the famine deliberately provoked by the communist regime. Today, the world stands in the face of another deliberately-induced famine, which Russia seeks to bring down on Africa and East Central Asia,” the PM said.

The first stop of Mr Morawiecki’s visit was the Memorial of the Victims of the Holodomor where he laid wreaths.

Next, the official was scheduled to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

PM Morawiecki is accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz, Michał Dworczyk – a minister in the PM’s Office (KPRM), and Poland’s ambassador to Ukraine Bartosz Cichocki.

Holodomor was also recognised as a genocide by Ukraine, the U.S., Canada, the Baltic States and more.

source: PAP, TVP World