Outgoing Polish President Duda says he supports Ukraine joining EU and NATO after meeting Zelenskyy

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(28 Jun 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kyiv, Ukraine - 28 June 2025
1. Andrzej Duda, Poland's president arriving, shaking hands with Ukraine's President Zelenskyy
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Andrzej Duda, Poland's president:
"For all these years, I’ve been on Ukraine’s side. I am not only a supporter of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. Right after the Russian attack, I was the initiator of the letter to the head of the European Commission asking for Ukraine to be granted candidate status to the European Union as soon as possible. Today, I absolutely support Ukraine's admission to the European Union as soon as possible, but I am also a supporter of Ukraine's Transatlantic presence. I believe that the desires of the Ukrainian people in this regard should be, should be taken into account and I hope, Mr. President, that in the future this will happen. I want to say it here clearly and distinctly, despite the fact that I am leaving the office of the President of the Republic of Poland, wherever I will have the pleasure of being, I will repeat it and I will strive for it, because I believe that this is simply what the Ukrainian people deserve."
3. Duda and Zelenskyy shaking hands
4. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine:
"The question is not what Russia wants, the question is whether we can all stop them, change the point of view of the current leader of the Russian Federation. This is the most important task, between all the other issues that we have as good neighbours, I believe that the main thing is what carries aggression and what Andrzej just said, what we were fighting for. We are fighting for our sovereignty, for our independence. People are fighting for this at a high price, high losses, for many years, and you can lose it very quickly, so the unity between us and Poland is very important in this regard."
5. Duda and Zelenskyy shaking hands and leaving the press conference


STORYLINE:
Polish leader Andrzej Duda said Saturday that he supports Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO during a news conference in Kyiv.

"Despite the fact that I am leaving the office of the President of the Republic of Poland, wherever I will have the pleasure of being, I will repeat it and I will strive for it, because I believe that this is simply what the Ukrainian people deserve," he said at a joint news conference with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenksyy.

Zelenskyy awarded Duda the Order of Freedom, Ukraine’s highest honour for foreign nationals, for his support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and Polish-Ukrainian cooperation.

At the joint briefing, Zelenskyy said: "The question is not what Russia wants, the question is whether we can all stop them, change the point of view of the current leader of the Russian Federation. This is the most important task, between all the other issues, that we have as good neighbours."

Nawrocki, Duda's designated successor who is set to be sworn in on Aug. 6, has vowed to continue helping Ukraine to fend off Russian aggression.

But he also said he would not ratify Kyiv's accession to NATO, arguing this could result in the alliance being drawn into a conflict with Russia.

His remarks marked a departure from years of Polish policy, including under the former conservative-nationalist government led by the Law and Justice party.

Nawrocki's campaign, publicly backed by Law and Justice, sought to channel some Poles' frustration with Ukrainian immigrants, and fears that the fighting could spill over the Polish border.

All parties in Poland have ruled out sending troops to Ukraine.






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