“At the moment, I am against Ukraine’s entry into the European Union,” Polish President-elect Karol Nawrocki told Hungarian outlet Mandiner in an interview released on June 7.

“On the one hand, we must support Ukraine in its conflict with the Russian Federation, but Ukraine must understand that other countries, including Poland, Hungary, and other European countries, also have their own interests,” he said.

Nawrocki won the second round of the Polish presidential election on June 1 with 50.89% of the vote. He has previously voiced opposition to Ukraine’s membership in the EU and NATO, despite supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty.

    • Not_mikey@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      10 hours ago

      This isn’t Russia, just nationalism. The right in Poland doesn’t want Ukrainian immigrants coming in and “taking polish jobs,” especially since a lot of Ukrainians will want to leave their country that Russia destroyed.

      Not everything has to be some 3d chess move by putin the puppet master. You’re giving Russian diplomacy and spy craft far more credit than it deserves.

      • WanderingThoughts@europe.pub
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        9 hours ago

        Until other European countries use this as an excuse to kick out polish workers and they’ll complain about the lack of solidarity.

    • MigratingApe@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      12 hours ago

      For as long as Ukraine is celebrating UPA and Bandera and ignores genocide performed on Poles, defying any attempts to repair relations with Poland, there is no place for them in the same institutions as Poland currently is.

      • MigratingApe@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        11 hours ago

        Yeah shower me with downvotes. Read some history first, then check recent Ukrainian government outcry after recent polish parliament (governed by opposition to the new president) new legislation. Don’t you think something is not right here?

        https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/ukraine-turns-on-poland-ww2-massacre-commemoration/

        This is a problem which must be solved and not swiped under the rug as this can only cause destabilization and flammable relations potentially causing real serious conflicts between two EU an/or NATO members.

        • ArgentRaven@lemmy.world
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          11 hours ago

          Maybe give us a quick synopsis? I live in neither country so I don’t know the nuances you’re referring to. Did Ukraine officially say something against Poland? Or a portion of Polish government? You’re pointing to a blog post and not a news outlet, so that’s a very niche source and not typically deemed credible in the US (where I live). If you have a link to like The Guardian, or something like that, I’d absolutely believe it.

          • taladar@sh.itjust.works
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            11 hours ago

            Also would help in general to cite English language sources in a discussion that happens in English.

          • MigratingApe@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            10 hours ago

            First of all, thank you for stopping for a second instead of blindly downvoting.

            I have edited the link in my previous post. Is telegraph OK?

            https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/08/ukraine-turns-on-poland-ww2-massacre-commemoration/

            This is not an isolated incident, you will find more. Ukraine says that Poles are the ones destroying relations. This simply hurts. Poland’s help in the face of common enemy was unconditional. I have personally rented my flat for free to Ukrainian refugees. Two families with kids. Their kids had free access to Polish health and education system and even social benefits were granted on the same or even better rules as for Poles. This is not enough?

            Ukraine is actively blocking exhumations of massacre casualties. Why?

            This is why I read the most upvoted comment here that he was paid in rubbles as anti Polish propaganda, the same people who oppose Trump’s fascism support Ukrainian government without knowing their history and values that they try to build their national identity on, whose soldiers are fighting on the battlefield wearing Nazi insignias… How can this not be just plain emotionally hurting?

            EDIT: If you are interested, here is an article from 15 years ago when world was a different place, describing what Bandera did and why this topic is so fragile today.

            https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/world/europe/02history.html

            • ArgentRaven@lemmy.world
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              3 hours ago

              Thanks for linking those. I can tell you that most people that know English as a first language have very little to no knowledge about the history between Poland and Ukraine. Like many things in the international world, it’s very complicated. But now I understand it a little better. I would agree that Poland is under no obligation to support a government that can’t seem to separate it’s independence from fascist leaders of the past, which does raise questions about the direction of the future. Yes, Ukraine needs to be free. They need an the help they can get. But what if they win, and fascism takes hold?

              I mean, look at how the US is falling to fascism. People aren’t careful enough.

  • klu9@piefed.social
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    10 hours ago

    I’m fairly sure this is less “pro-Russia” and more “anti-large-new-devastated-member-causing-Poland-to-get-a-far-smaller-slice-of-the-EU-funds-pie”.

    While Law & Justice’s [sic] tendencies overlap with Putin’s a lot, IIRC they’ve been consistently anti-Russia, especially as it’s a personal beef now since the party boss’s brother was killed in the Smolensk air disaster, which he seems to blame on Putin.

  • x00z@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    Don’t get me wrong; I fully support Ukraine.

    But it’s very different from EU countries and still has a long way to go according to the Copenhagen Criteria. 2 big reasons would be no active war or border conflict, and also a fair democracy. The war is obvious. The democracy is most likely not up to standards because of the Russian influence since 2014. So Ukraine would first have to clean house.

  • MyOpinion
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    13 hours ago

    These right wing people seem to all be reading from Putin’s script.

  • Vikthor@lemmy.world
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    12 hours ago

    Does he even has a say? Doesn’t Polish stance on Ukraine’s entry depend on the government & parliament rather than the president?

  • absquatulate@lemmy.world
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    11 hours ago

    How is this news? This was literally an electoral point of his. Besides, it’s the same position other nato members are taking, albeit hidden behind the “territorial integrity” excuse.

    The actual news may be that, sadly, Poland these days is sliding into christian nationalism, just like the US.

  • mhague@lemmy.world
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    12 hours ago

    I’m not sure what to make of this guy. In this case I guess his animosity towards Russia is conflicting with his “sophisticated nationalism?” He is wanted by Russia because it’s illegal in Russia to remove Soviet monuments in Poland. (lmao) But I guess if it doesn’t help him build a turbo-Christian Poland then he doesn’t want it… he’s sorta stuck in the middle.

  • Puddinghelmet@lemmy.world
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    12 hours ago

    Other countries, including Poland, Hungary and other European countries rather see Ukraine being pushed into Putins hand than join Europe and make our alliance stronger? Makes sense yeah…

  • propitiouspanda@lemmy.cafe
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    11 hours ago

    “On the one hand, we must support Ukraine in its conflict with the Russian Federation, but Ukraine must understand that other countries, including Poland, Hungary, and other European countries, also have their own interests,” he said.

    Lol, shitbaggery never feels shame or remorse.