Poland - Ukraine: the story of sworn friendship isn't finished...

Any of the countries will act as the guarantor of safety of Ukraine without consent of Russia. It is the prerogative of the collective decision of large political players which are the countries of nuclear club. Here is the opinion of Poles on Ukraine and the events occurring in its territory.
The relations of two people neighbours, Ukrainian and Polish, have centuries-old history. But what it should be noted, so it that Poland always tried to dominate in these relations, trying to subordinate and during the separate historical periods, generally to destroy the national identity of the neighbour.
It was shown in occupation of territories, destruction of Orthodoxy and the violent address to Catholicism, a compulsory Polonization of the population in the seized territories, the Ukrainian language ban. Such concept as «cattle» became current in Slavic languages as the term characterizing people of the second grade. But in the initial value it was used in Poland only concerning the Ukrainians who weren’t people for the «highest» race of misters (sirs).
Here there are uncountable wars between two people in which the parties bore numerous losses and got bogged down in bloody revenge more and more. And the concept «Ukrainian» arose at the suggestion of Poland and Austro-Hungary since the population living at that time in the territory of present Ukraine called themselves as Russians, Rusyns, Little Russians and not the Ukrainians at all. And we are also obliged to the Poles with the emergence of the Greco-catholic Church (GCC) in the territory of Ukraine who made much in order that to tear off the Rusyns from religion of their ancestors Orthodoxy with the help of the ideologic protege priests. After all the principle «Share and dominate» was thought up as became a keystone of policy of Great Britain.
In the second half of the 20th century the USSR made an attempt to turn the bloody page in the history of relationship of Poles and Ukrainians when both people were brought up by one communistic ideology in the spirit of friendship. But this period was short and the politicians who didn’t fail to take a war axe again in the mercenary purposes: the Nazi Banderovites in Ukraine and the right forces in Poland vote for mutual territorial claims to each other, remember about massacre of civilians by the opposite side.
Therefore the assessment of the events is very interesting by the citizens of Poland now occurring in Ukraine. Both respondents were on Maidan in 2004 and 2014 and by the nature of the activity spend much time in Ukraine. I give their opinion below.
Woytek Mlodziewski — the adviser-analyst of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
How do you assess a modern political situation in Ukraine? And what ways of recovery from the crisis do you see?
- I just returned from Kiev where stayed about two weeks and met the people having prestige in the Ukrainian society. I can tell that the majority of them, even the former functionaries of PR, consider that Putin made a strategic mistake, having started the war on Donbass. He scraped the Russian and Ukrainian people and doomed Russia to sanctions from the West. I personally observed a democracy victory on the Maidan when people left to overthrow the criminal regime of Yanukovych — the protege of Putin.
Thanks to insurgent people the progressive forces came to a country government capable to destroy the remains of totalitarian communistic heritage in Ukraine and to approve the western democratic values in it. We, in Poland, now wait for results of elections to the Verkhovna Rada. If Poroshenko is able to create the parliamentary majority in it then the country will be able to move on the way of reforms. The main thing is to create the professional government capable to work effectively to advance the country to association with the E. U. Yatsenyuk who managed to carry out already a number of reforms according to recommendations of the IMF will cope with this role not badly. Only having won against corruption and having created new conditions for business it is possible to expect arrival of the western investors to Ukraine.
After all today in Ukraine there is no transparency in an expenditure of the funds allocated by the IMF, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the EU for carrying the reforms out. And the conflict on Donbass doesn’t add optimism. The country won’t be able to move forward without its fastest power decision. Donbass is Ukraine and it is impossible to allow the Crimean scenario.
The considerable industrial productions and strategic stocks of the Ukrainian energy carriers the loss of which will critically be reflected in economic independence of the country are located on Donbass. This conflict interferes with allocation of the next trenches of the IMF and means of other sponsors as the help of the West which was earlier going for carrying out of economic transformations burns down. Therefore the western investors should take an expenditure of the allocated funds under personal control to exclude their theft and inappropriate use.
In the West we see that the economy of Ukraine is in decline. The course for integration into the EU headed by the country leaders and bond breaking with the countries of the Customs Union, first of all with the Russian Federation, demands the support. Without the external help Ukraine won’t survive therefore financial institutions of the USA and Europe will give necessary help to it. But for the movement ahead the country needs to learn to earn independently.
How do you see the resolution of crisis on Donbass? Why Poland denied the assistance supply of coals to Ukraine without payment on the eve of an energy crisis in the country?
- Crisis on Donbass as I noticed earlier is created artificially by Russia to prevent rapprochement of Ukraine with the West. If Putin didn’t support separatists financially and with arms, so the government troops would destroy these outcasts long ago. But Putin generated a huge problem for the Russian Federation too: soon the flow of the armed criminals will rush through «transparent» border. It is necessary to expect splash in violence in the cities of Russia and destabilization of a situation. In the interests of the Russian Federation it is necessary to close border urgently together with forces of OSCE and the Ukrainian security officers. It would be possible to solve this peacekeeping contingent of NATO, but Putin will never agree to it. And command of NATO won’t decide to enter the troops on the territory of Ukraine, being afraid of inadequate reaction of Russia. The West has no desire to go for open armed conflict with Russia which has the nuclear weapon.
As for the second question. We always professed the principle of free trade: take and pay. Therefore the free assistance in the form of supply of the Polish coal at its power plant was also denied to Ukraine. But, nevertheless, we give it the help.
This help has to be not necessarily widely advertised: the government has possibilities of assistance via informal channels, including by delivery so necessary property and the equipment.
What is the political situation in the city of Kiev? Do the amplifying growth of radicalism in society and strengthening of positions of the nationalist forces preaching fascist ideology such as «Svoboda» party, «Right sector» frighten you?
- I was surprised pleasantly by growth of patriotism in the Ukrainian capital. People show that they are the Ukrainians in everything: they paint the fences, walls, columns, etc. in colours of national flag; yellow-blue banners flutter everywhere and the national slogans «Glory to Ukraine» sound, there is a fund raising for army in large quantities. It touches.
Yes, the radicalism level sharply grew in society, but it is natural reaction of healthy forces to insufficiently fast decision by state apparatus of old problems and preponderance in administrative structures of the state of the old shots which are slowing down the reforms. It is necessary to react quicker to inquiries of the people and then there will be no such distortions. As for a question of emergence of currents with fascist ideology … In my opinion, you exaggerate the danger. After all the same Yarosh collected no more than 1% of votes at last presidential elections in Ukraine and Tyahnybok didn’t risk to participate at all. Therefore we consider that these passions are inflated by the Kremlin and the problem with «arising fascism» in Ukraine is decided and has no prospect.
Krzysztof Wator — the architect, the businessman, Warsaw
Will they suggest Ukraine to return to borders of 1939 and to recognize existence of lands of the Western areas in Ukraine as heritage of the totalitarian past, result of the barbarous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, so repeatedly condemned by Ukraine from the results of which now it is necessary to refuse and transfer them to former owners, including Poland?
- You know, Poland is the member of the European Union and NATO, there is the 21st century therefore there can’t be a return to a review policy of the existing borders. Rules of membership in these organizations preserve our politicians against revanchism. Though, honestly has to admit, the voices of those who considers unfair the transfer of the Lvov area, Volhynia and Galicia to Ukraine sound more loudly in our society as consider these lands historically Polish. Especially as such moods in our society are provoked by rash statements of the Ukrainian nationalists such as Yarosh and Tyahnybok, declaring the claims for the lands of Poland, in particular, Przemysl. Besides, our country perfectly remembers the Volhynia massacre arranged by the chasteners of OUN-UPA. And that fact that the glorification of these murderers, the praise of Bandera and Shukhevich began in Ukraine in time and after the Maidan causes response in Poland. Especially it gets a response in the environment of youth radical currents of the right sense, football fans. Also relatives of the victims of this tragedy who didn’t forgive the death of the relatives to executioners are still living.
Therefore, the common citizens of Poland are disturbed very much with the revival of fascism on our borders. Especially in the country where about 40 million people live, the victory of Nazism and militarization of society can turn back threat for all Europe.
Now, when the European Union leaders and the USA pursue the policy of support of Ukraine, none of the western politicians will bring up a question of disavowal of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. As the policy is such unpredictable thing therefore it is difficult to predict what can occur tomorrow. Who could assume that the Soviet Union will stop the existence? So it is such strong power, not as Ukraine … Especially already the rhetoric of the western politicians now starts changing in an events assessment in Ukraine: admiration and the promise of a currency rain for economy of «independent» slowly give way to irritation and unwillingness to leave money, considering foggy prospects of their return. So I am not ready to act as the predictor of the future of this country.
In conditions when Ukraine goes for open economic and political confrontation with Russia who will be able to ensure safety of Ukraine in the military-political relation?
- Yes, the policy pursued by the new leadership of Ukraine generated huge problems for the countries of the eurozone which were absolutely not necessary to them. Because of pressure of Americans of the EU it was compelled to take sanctions measures to the Russian Federation. As practice of permission of the military conflict on Donbass showed, the West was eliminated from direct armed intervention on side of Ukraine, having limited to official deliveries of not lethal arms. Though I can guess that the help isn’t limited to it, but it has no critical importance for a condition of the Ukrainian army.
I know about deliveries of the Polish weapon to Ukraine and about participation of Polish mercenaries on its party.
However, having analyzing the events, I dare to assume that the West will suggest the Ukrainian management to solve a separatism problem by own efforts. Also it won’t begin to admit Ukraine to NATO yet as under the charter of the organization it is forbidden to accept the countries having armed conflicts and foreign bases in the territory.
I think that any of the countries will act as the guarantor of safety of Ukraine without consent of Russia. It is the prerogative of the collective decision of large political players what the countries of nuclear club are.