Aleksander Kwaśniewski: Bezpieczeństwo Polski zależy od dobrych relacji z Ukrainą. Jak je naprawić?

👉 Learn more at polityka.pl https://www.polityka.pl/ In the latest episode of "Special Podcast," Jerzy Baczyński, editor-in-chief of the weekly "Polityka," talks with former President Aleksander Kwaśniewski about history, war, and the future of relations between Poland and Ukraine. The starting point is the dispute over the Order of the White Eagle awarded to Volodymyr Zelensky: should symbolic gestures influence strategic Polish-Ukrainian relations while war rages nearby? Aleksander Kwaśniewski assesses the Ukrainian authorities' decision to grant military patrons from the UPA as a serious mistake, but at the same time warns against the political exploitation of history. We discuss the Volhynian Massacre, the history of the Volhynian Massacre, and why the history of Poland and Ukraine still evokes such strong emotions on both sides of the border. Who was Stepan Bandera to Poles and to Ukrainians, what is the UPA, and what role does historical memory play in contemporary politics? The former president also shares his family's personal story. His father-in-law survived Volhynia as a child and carried the trauma of those events with him throughout his life. It's a story that shows that history isn't black and white. Reconciliation requires knowledge, empathy, and responsibility. We also discuss Volodymyr Zelensky's current policies and whether historical disputes should influence Ukraine's future in Europe. Is Ukraine in the EU in 2027 a realistic scenario? The war in Ukraine has been going on longer than World War I. Everyone is asking: when will the war in Ukraine end? Aleksander Kwaśniewski warns that a potential Ukraine-Russia ceasefire could bring new security and migration challenges to Europe. Growing anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland is also a key theme. Are Poles' attitudes toward refugees changing? What role do Ukrainian refugees play in Poland today, and why, according to the former president, is their presence important for the Polish economy and labor market? We also discuss why aid for Ukraine has become a political issue. Aleksander Kwaśniewski criticizes the actions of politicians exploiting the topic of Ukraine to build support. Examples? Leszek Miller has expressed negative opinions about Ukraine, and there are other groups that are fueling anti-Ukrainian sentiment: Grzegorz Braun and the Confederation of the Polish Crown. Could anti-Ukrainian sentiments influence the elections in Poland? And will Russia win the war if the West weakens its support for Kyiv? This is a conversation about history, memory, and geopolitics, but also about how to prevent a war abroad from dividing Polish society. Jerzy Baczyński talks with Aleksander Kwaśniewski. 📌 What will you learn from this episode? 1. Why is the Volhynia dispute once again affecting Polish-Ukrainian relations? 2. Could a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire create new threats for Europe? 3. Why does Aleksander Kwaśniewski believe that Ukraine in the EU is a good scenario for Poland? 📌 Timeline: 00:00 - Highlights 03:10 - Will the White Eagle be stripped from the Ukrainian president? 07:09 - "Zelensky's decision was a mistake. He could have foreseen the consequences." 09:52 - Conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine in Poland: what to expect? 12:50 - Where does Leszek Miller's anti-Ukrainian radicalism come from? 15:58 - Should Poland demand that Ukraine settle historical issues (the Volhynian massacre)? 23:00 - The history of building Ukraine's independence 25:36 - Kwaśniewski's father-in-law survived the Volhynian massacre: a personal story 30:15 - Anti-Ukrainian sentiment: from helping Ukrainians to hostility. How to interpret it? 35:40 - 1.5 million Ukrainians in Poland are a gift 40:25 - Is contemporary politics based on any strategy? 43:11 - "Many of my prophecies are coming true, but I'm not at all happy about it" 46:48 - "Nothing will ever be the same again" 52:10 - Who does Kwaśniewski think will win the 2026 World Cup? Follow us on social media: 👉 Facebook   / tygodnikpolityka   👉 Instagram   / tygodnikpolityka   👉 X https://x.com/Polityka_pl