Issues concerning Ukrainian-Polish relations should not weaken the strategic partnership between the two countries, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk said.
"I met with Włodzimierz Czarzasty, Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. We had a frank and important conversation about Ukrainian-Polish relations. We agreed that today it is especially important not to allow complex issues from the past or emotions to weaken the strategic partnership that Ukraine and Poland have built over the years," Stefanchuk said on Facebook on Monday.
According to him, the Ukrainian and Polish peoples share common security interests, a common European future, and the extraordinarily high price that Ukraine is paying today to defend the freedom of all of Europe.
"We spoke separately about the need to restore trust, strengthen interparliamentary dialogue, and increase the number of contacts between our countries. We agreed to intensify the work of parliamentary formats and return to the idea of a joint Ukrainian-Polish expert group, in particular to exchange Poland's experience with European integration," Stefanchuk said.
He explained that the parties also discussed sensitive issues of historical memory.
"I am convinced that these issues must be resolved through dialogue, mutual respect, and the work of historians, rather than through actions that only deepen the divisions between our societies," the Ukrainian Parliament's chairman said.
Stefanchuk also added that, as a memento of the meeting, he presented the Marshal with a Ukrainian edition of the works of one of the most outstanding Polish poets of the 20th century, Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński, translated by Roman Lubkivsky "The Enchanted Carriage."
"Ukraine and Poland have proven time and again that they are capable of finding common solutions even in difficult times. Our task today is not to lose what has been built, but to restore trust and move forward as neighbors, partners, and allies," Stefanchuk said.
Stefanchuk is in Poland on a one-day working visit.
