Ukraine in the EU? Zelensky has announced the date, but Nawrocki is cooling his enthusiasm. “Hard to reach”

President Karol Nawrocki emphasized on Sunday in Vilnius that it is worth making the voice of formats such as the Lublin Triangle heard around the world. He added that regardless of the political system in Russia, it is still a threat, and Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine were not wrong in their opinions about this threat.

On Sunday, President Karol Nawrocki and his wife Marta Nawrocka are paying a working visit to Lithuania. The visit includes: connection with the celebration of the 163rd anniversary of the January Uprising. In Vilnius, Nawrocki met with the presidents of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, and Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. These three countries are part of the Lublin Triangle initiative established in 2020, which refers to the heritage of the Republic of the Three Nations and is intended to deepen cooperation between these countries.

During the press conference of the three presidents, Nawrocki pointed out that although 163 years have passed since the January Uprising, Russia is still a threat to the region of Central and Eastern Europe.

– Reset policies with the Russian Federation are passing away, and one thing does not change, regardless of whether it is Tsarist Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or Vladimir Putin's Russia, our countries (Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine – PAP), now independent, still face the same problem of the threat from the Russian Federation. That is why regional formats are so important, to which, as the president of Poland, I attach particular importance, emphasized Nawrocki.

He recalled that “The countries of Central and Eastern Europe were not wrong in their opinions about the Russian threat, even at a time when Western Europe was still focused on climate policy or admitting illegal immigrants.” As he noted, “it is worth making the voice of Central and Eastern Europe and formats such as the Lublin Triangle (Lublin Triangle – PAP) heard all over the world.” Recalling that Poland had received an invitation to the G20 summit, Nawrocki pointed out that this creates a great opportunity for the entire region. – Poland, as a representative of the entire region in the G20 group, will be the voice of our achievements and our transformation – assured the Polish president.

The role of the US still remains important

Nawrocki said that he and the presidents of Lithuania and Ukraine share the belief that military, economic and economic cooperation with the United States is one of the directions of action for our entire region. – This also connects us together – said Nawrocki.

In this context, he noted, among others, for the presence in Poland of nearly 10,000 American soldiers and just over 1,000 American soldiers in Lithuania. Nawrocki emphasized that Poland and Lithuania are members of the EU and cooperate in various European formats.

Nawrocki also expressed appreciation for Lithuania, which allocates 5.4 percent. GDP for strengthening security. – Poland allocates nearly 5%. GDP for the development of the Polish armed forces. We have the most powerful army in the region, over 200,000 Polish soldiers, so I am full of praise for Lithuania, for President Nauseda, the entire government, the parliamentary majority in Lithuania for achieving the ceiling of 5.4 GDP for strengthening security, said Nawrocki.

He added that he was optimistic about information about further Lithuanian military and military infrastructure investments. – The Lithuanian government is preparing to invest in Kopciów. We have a declaration that if this investment is successful, the 16th Mechanized Division will also be able to train there, Nawrocki pointed out.

As he assessed construction of a training ground in Kopciów, “an investment in a strategic place for the security of the entire Central and Eastern Europe in the Suwałki Isthmus”. – This is proof of responsibility in the security zone – he said, adding that he believes that all social issues related to this investment that are problematic “will be resolved in such a way as to build the infrastructure that is needed for the entire region.”

He said that he talked with Zelensky about the conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, which is to be held this year in Poland, in Warsaw. – This is President Zelensky's will (…) this will be a very important meeting for our entrepreneurs and the entire region (…) – he emphasized.

Russian aggression was one of the main topics of talks between the three presidents

The President of Lithuania, in turn, announced that Russian aggression was one of the main topics of the talks between the three presidents, and during these talks the Ukrainian president presented updated information on the progress in the peace talks initiated by US President Donald Trump.

“Russia is once again avoiding making real commitments to a just and lasting peace and rejecting a ceasefire as a necessary condition for achieving it,” Nauseda said. He emphasized that any future agreement should clearly guarantee the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. – Deployment of multinational European armed forces on Ukrainian territory with the support of the United States would be a key deterrent to Russia, said the Lithuanian president. He added that Lithuania calls for Ukraine's integration with European defense structures.

– I hope that the United States will not reduce pressure on Russia and will continue to put pressure on it through sanctions. Oil supplies from Russia must be stopped. Russian propaganda should also be blocked and this is a task for all of us, said President Zelensky. He thanked “all friends in Europe who are helping Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian president informed the presidents of Lithuania and Poland about the talks held in the capital of the United Arab Emirates with negotiators from Russia and representatives of the US president, devoted to possible conditions for ending the Russian-Ukrainian war and security monitoring by the United States.

Zelensky: Ukraine will be ready to join the EU in 2027

Zelensky assessed that Ukraine will be fully technically ready in 2027 to become a member of the European Union. – We are talking about a specific date when Ukraine will be ready (…). Technically, it will be fully ready in 2027, according to our position, Zelensky said.

Nauseda, in turn, noted, referring to this issue, that various factors may appear that will accelerate or delay the process of Ukraine's accession to the EU and in this context he pointed to 2030. – Perhaps in 2027 Ukraine could benefit from most or all of the benefits, and our date – 2030 – was justified by the fact that the process (of accession – PAP) is not simple – he said.

President Nawrocki pointed out that knowing the accession process, among others, formally, Ukraine's accession to the EU in 2027 may be “difficult to achieve”.

Earlier, during the visit, the Polish presidential couple, the presidents of Lithuania and Ukraine and their spouses, as well as the leader of the Belarusian opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, took part in a holy mass held in the Vilnius Archcathedral, and then in a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the outbreak of the January Uprising at the Rossa cemetery. (PAP)

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