Poland counts the costs and benefits of Ukraine's accession. Sikorski: Poland's entry paid off for both the EU and us
2026-02-24 17:31, updated 2026-02-24 18:47
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2026-02-24 17:31
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2026-02-24 18:47
With its bravery, Ukraine has earned the status of a candidate for the European Union, but in order to obtain membership it must meet the conditions, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski on Tuesday in Kiev.
– Ukraine deserved the status of a candidate with its bravery. We opened negotiations and we also wanted to open one of the negotiation clusters during our (Polish – PAP) presidency (of the EU Council in the first half of 2025 – PAP). We were prevented from doing so by Hungary, which today is demonizing Ukraine among its electorate in support of its campaign, setting conditions and blackmailing, so it will not be an easy process, he emphasized.
Sikorski came to Kiev in connection with the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, celebrated on Tuesday. In a conversation with Polish journalists, he noted that before joining the EU, Ukraine should meet the criteria that apply to candidates.
– All the more so because Ukraine obviously has to meet all the conditions. It has not yet fully implemented the association agreement, although there are already areas in which it is fully compatible with the EU, such as energy. But there are still many issues, Sikorski noted.
Balance of profits and losses for the Polish economy
The head of diplomacy informed that Poland is already calculating how Ukraine's membership in the EU will affect the Polish economy.
But just as the West calculated when we entered, they knew that there would be challenges, that for example our drivers would be more competitive, but they expected that it would be profitable for them. And indeed, our trade with the original European Union has increased many times. So Poland has gained, but so have the countries of the Old Union, he noted.
When asked how he assessed Russia's four years of war against Ukraine, he said that “it was supposed to be three days, but it has already been four years of Russian aggression against Ukraine.” – Ukraine is defending itself bravely – he said.
90 billion euros to save Ukrainian statehood
Sikorski participated in Kiev, among others. at a meeting of the coalition of the willing, at which Prime Minister Donald Tusk spoke remotely.
– Ukraine is still supported. The European Commission, represented by the president (Ursula von der Leyen), confirmed that this PLN 90 billion loan to maintain the activities of the Ukrainian state and its defense capabilities will be transferred and that other issues on the EU-Ukraine agenda will also be gradually resolved – said the head of Polish diplomacy.
Sikorski assessed that Poles can be proud of the help they provided to fighting Ukraine. – We Poles have something to be proud of. We managed it in the first days of the invasion, subsequent governments support Ukraine with equipment, logistically, also by contributing to the PURL mechanism, or the Czech initiative when it comes to 155 mm shells, and recently (action) Heat from Poland, or the initiative of Archbishop (Metropolitan of Krakow, Cardinal Grzegorz) Ryś, which was noticed and appreciated here – he said.
Energy front: The worst winter behind Ukraine?
The Minister of Foreign Affairs drew attention to the very difficult situation in Ukraine in recent months, when Russia is attacking its power plants and thermal power plants. – Temperatures reached minus 20 and even minus 25, and we saw (in Kiev) a local heating plant that the Russians systematically destroyed with drones and ballistic missiles just to deprive the civilian population of heat and electricity. Weather-wise, the worst is probably behind Ukraine – he said.
He also expressed his belief that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has not achieved the goals he set for himself by attacking Ukraine. – Ukraine has built an impressive arms industry. I won't go into details, but these are 21st century technologies. Putin is not achieving his goals. Ukraine is regaining the area, so I think it will be in a better negotiating position in the future, Sikorski said.
Von der Leyen in Kiev: It is not possible to provide a specific date for Ukraine's entry into the EU
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated on Tuesday in Kiev that it was not possible for her to provide a specific date for Ukraine's entry into the EU. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky referred Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Vladimir Putin regarding the damaged oil pipeline.
Von der Leyen, together with European Council President Antonio Costa, arrived in Kiev on Tuesday to commemorate the fourth anniversary of Russia's start of a full-scale war in Ukraine. They both assured of EU support.
Zelensky received assurances from both EU leaders that the European Union would grant Ukraine a loan of EUR 90 billion and would do it even without Hungary's consent. Budapest announced that, despite the agreement reached at the summit, the leaders of 27 member states would block the completion of the legislative process on granting a loan to Ukraine until Kiev restores the transit of Russian oil. Due to the fact that the loan is guaranteed by the EU budget, it requires the unanimous consent of all capitals. The transit was suspended after Russia damaged the Druzhba oil pipeline running through Ukrainian territory in an attack at the end of January.
– I wrote to Prime Minister Orban that Hungary is violating the principle of sincere cooperation and I pressed Hungary to start cooperating as soon as possible to implement the decision taken by the European Council on December 18, Costa emphasized.
He said that the decision on the loan to Ukraine was made by the 27 leaders in the European Council and member states cannot change it on their own. – Only the European Council can do this – noted its head.
He called on the European Commission to use all possible tools to overcome the blockade and “avoid blackmailing the European Union.” – Let Orban talk to Putin about this matter – said Zelensky. – It will not be the case that Russia destroys, Ukraine repairs and Russia destroys again – he added. According to the Ukrainian president, “this was neither the first nor the last” attack by Russia on the Druzhba oil pipeline. He added that he had satellite images to confirm this claim.
“These two things are not connected,” Costa said. – If a member country has a problem with a third country, EU institutions help it, and that's what we did today. We agreed that Ukraine would provide us with an estimate of how long the repair would take, he noted. According to him, Kyiv is to give its opinion on this matter “in the coming days.”
He added that Hungary has alternatives when it comes to oil supplies, e.g. from Croatia. Costa pointed out that Putin himself talked about the alternative from Croatia via the Adria pipeline to Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia. He noted that there are also alternatives on the territory of Ukraine.
Costa and von der Leyen declared support for Ukraine's efforts to join the EU. When asked about a specific date, the head of the European Commission emphasized that she could not provide one.
– I am confident in this (accession – PAP) process because we have seen how much progress Ukraine has made in terms of reforms, despite the fight for survival, said von der Leyen in Kiev on the fourth anniversary of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
– I understand perfectly well that for you (Ukrainians – PAP) a specific date is also important as a reference point to which you intend to strive. However, you know that only dates are not possible on our part, but we guarantee support that will help achieve this goal – she emphasized.
– It is true that we want quick membership, said President Zelensky. He added that he is afraid that Ukraine's membership in the EU will become the same as its planned accession to NATO: “that Putin will block it.” – I do not want this for my country, my people who have been living with these challenges for all these years – he stressed.
From Kiev Magdalena Cedro
From Kiev Jarosław Junko (PAP)
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