The Polish presidential candidate from the pro-government "Civil Coalition" Rafal Trzaskowski did not sign the so-called declaration of the leader of the anti-Ukrainian "Confederation" Sławomir Menzen. Among the demands is a promise not to let Ukraine into NATO, which was supported by another presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki.
This was reported by the Polish TV channel TVN 24 and Wiadomości.
The conversation between Trzaskowski and Menzen took place on YouTube. Menzen emphasized that he wanted to help voters decide which presidential candidate to support in the second round. During the conversation, Menzen asked Nawrocki and Trzaskowski about the points of his declaration, which he calls the “Menzen Eight”. This is a list of demands that he prepared for his two interlocutors.
Several points of this declaration were related to Ukraine. For example, point 4 reads as follows: “I will not allow Polish soldiers to be sent to the territory of Ukraine.”
And point 5 reads as follows: “I will not sign the law on the ratification of Ukraine’s accession to NATO.”
Trzaskowski supported four of the eight points contained in Menzenʼs "declaration". He opposed raising existing taxes, promised not to restrict the circulation of cash and the right of Poles to own weapons. At the same time, he opposed sending Polish troops to Ukraine, emphasizing that the Polish army should now protect NATOʼs eastern flank from Russia and Belarus. But he emphasized that he supports Ukraineʼs membership in the Alliance.
In the conversation, Menzen emphasized that he considered Ukraineʼs accession to NATO "exceptionally dangerous for Poland" because it allegedly increases the likelihood of Polandʼs participation in a war with Russia. In response, Trzaskowski emphasized that Ukraine needs strong security guarantees — this would also mean greater protection for Poland from Russia.
"I know Putin very well and I watch him closely. He only understands the language of force. Józef Pilsudski knew 100 years ago that if we had a buffer state, Russia would break its teeth on it," Trzaskowski said.
According to him, due to the ongoing war, today there is no question of Ukraineʼs accession to NATO, but this should be a common goal. Trzaskowski emphasizes that he never said that Ukraineʼs accession to NATO would be an easy process.
- On May 22, independent Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, supported by the opposition Law and Justice party, promised not to let Ukraine join NATO.
- On May 18, the first round of presidential elections was held in Poland. According to its results, the representative of the pro-government "Civil Coalition" Rafal Trzaskowski and the independent candidate Karol Nawrocki, who was supported by the opposition party "Law and Justice", advanced to the second round.
- Trzaskowski supports Ukraine and also advocates for Ukraineʼs membership in the EU and NATO. Nawrocki previously stated that he sees no future for Ukraine in either the European Union or NATO until Kyiv answers "for the Volyn crime," referring to the Volyn tragedy.
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