Members of Poland’s largest opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS), have criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for allegedly showing support for the ruling party’s presidential candidate, Rafał Trzaskowski.
Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki advised Zelensky to focus on Ukrainian affairs and stated, “We will choose our president ourselves.”
“Let the Ukrainian president deal with Ukraine’s issues, and we will decide who is our candidate and what positions they hold on fundamental matters. He has the right—and even the obligation—to look after the interests of his own country, but here, we make our own decisions,” Morawiecki said during the “Morning” program on Radio Wnet.
PiS politicians were outraged by Zelensky’s response to comments made by opposition-supported candidate Karol Nawrocki, who argued that Ukraine should not be invited to NATO or the EU until the issue of Volhynia is resolved.
MEP Michał Dworczyk, a PiS representative, described Zelensky’s statements as inappropriate and deserving of criticism. He suggested that Zelensky’s team poorly prepared him for the visit if he made such remarks.
“If Ukraine is not in the EU, not in NATO, and does not have security guarantees, Mr. Nawrocki will need to start training because he might find himself defending his country with weapons alongside his compatriots,” Zelensky stated in an interview with Polish media.
Following the broadcast of Zelensky’s interview, PiS politicians expressed outrage, accusing him of interfering in Poland’s electoral process and indirectly supporting Rafał Trzaskowski.
