Ukraine is no longer a patient that needs help – said the president of the Foundation during the “Road to URC – Security and Defense Dimension” conference. Stefan Batory Edwin Bendyk. In his opinion, supporting Ukraine means building a partnership based on security.
– We are increasingly convinced (…) that Ukraine is no longer what it was until the end of last year – a patient who needs help – said Bendyk in a statement for PAP in Rzeszów. He explained that until recently it was an asymmetric relationship: “we have resources with which we help Ukraine, and it defends itself bravely.”
– In fact, we were convinced that NATO and special relations with the United States were the guarantor of security anyway. Now we know that it has become complicated, said Bendyk. In his opinion, the US reaction to the incursion of Russian drones into Poland in September last year, and, above all, the effects of the US and Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 this year, have changed the perception of the United States as a guarantor of security.
According to Bendyk, Ukraine's diplomatic response to the war in the Middle East showed once again that Kiev is aware that European countries are not its allies, but partners. – Ukraine has no allies and is basically strategically alone – he said, adding that this is why Kiev is building arrangements that allow it to wage war.
The PAP interlocutor pointed to the example of Ukraine's construction of alternative alliances that could replace the one with the United States, the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to France last November, when Zelensky signed an agreement on strategic cooperation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, and Paris declared that in the future it would donate one hundred Rafale combat aircraft to Kiev. In his opinion, this is an example of building new partnerships. – This shows that Ukraine seizes every opportunity that comes its way – he emphasized.
– Ukrainians are strategically autonomous and from this perspective, they can be – and this is the narrative they spread – a key component of the security architecture in Europe, given the uncertain role of the United States. I don't want to say that they are able to take over the role of the US, but in this new order, which we have to imagine based on rearming and the ability to resist, Ukraine suddenly appears as a partner, he noted.
Bendyk pointed out that the conference taking place in Rzeszów is a continuation of the previous Ukrainian initiative, Ukraine Reform Conference, which was launched before the full-scale invasion of Russia in 2022. The URC is currently focusing on two areas: Ukraine's post-war future and emergency aid in the war effort, because – as he noted – “the war, unfortunately, is still going on.” Hence, as he pointed out, the Ukrainian side is pressing on finalizing these events with specific actions, which may take various forms, e.g. investments. In his opinion, specific declarations regarding further support for Ukraine can be expected at the URC conference in Gdańsk, which will be held in June.
The president of the Batory Foundation noted that if we look at Ukraine as a partner for building a new European security structure, we must also think about the reconstruction of Ukraine through the prism of our security and economic development. – Ukraine will not provide us with security if we do not integrate it economically with our structures – he explained.
When asked about Poland's chances of benefiting from this cooperation with Ukraine in the field of security and economy, Bendyk replied that Poland has the greatest chance here because it is the closest. At the same time, as he assessed, the Polish side has some problems with understanding the development of these relations, mainly for historical reasons. – Sometimes there is also great distrust towards Ukrainians, because they do not facilitate these relations, which is a lot to hide – said Bendyk, pointing out that they are very assertive.
– We often have grievances that are summed up in this word about ingratitude, right? This is an acronym that somewhat shows the problem that Ukrainians do not treat us as we believe that we should be treated as the closest large partner – he noted and added that Ukrainians do not understand these problems, but they already know that “during official visits they must thank the Polish side and must be grateful.”
He pointed out that Kiev knows that it must devote energy to the contacts that are most useful to it. In his opinion, Ukrainian diplomacy is now focusing on the Middle East, trying to get closer to Arab countries. – And they treat Poland, I don't want to say per se, but because the situation here is stabilized at a certain basic level, they don't bother. And if we want to avoid grudges against Ukrainians, we should be more active, Bendyk said.
– In security-related circles, the perception of Ukraine is shifting – said the head of the Batory Foundation, emphasizing that there is an understanding that Ukraine can also be a partner for joint technology production or a market for Polish solutions.
In his opinion, there is a chance that the teams preparing this year's URC conference in Gdańsk will take into account all the needs of relations with Ukraine, and not only issues of security and cooperation between defense industries. He pointed out that – if we are to talk about the future – it is also about the joint creation of Europe, and the goal must be the economic integration of Ukraine with the EU.
Antoni Wiśniewski-Mischal (PAP)
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