Czarzasty: Ukraine’s EU Accession Requires Rethinking All Aspects of Its History

During a visit with Ukrainian children in Szczawnica, Polish Sejm Speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty discussed bilateral tensions, economic contributions, and the historical reckoning necessary for EU integration.

Visit to Szczawnica and Bilateral Relations

The Speaker of the Sejm and the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, visited Ukrainian children affected by the war staying at a summer camp in Szczawnica, Lesser Poland Voivodeship. The meeting also served as an opportunity for talks between the parliamentary delegations of both countries.

Following the talks, Czarzasty drew attention to the current crisis in Polish-Ukrainian relations and the associated social tensions. He stated that people who loved each other four years ago are currently arguing in Poland, adding that this leads to nothing good and that he condemns bad behavior from both Poles towards Ukrainians and Ukrainians towards Poles.

Rebuilding Trust and Parliamentary Communication

Czarzasty added that meetings like the one in Szczawnica are the beginning of making up for what has been lost, emphasizing the necessity of a communication channel between the Ukrainian and Polish parliaments. He noted that there is no bad situation without a way out and that mutual trust must be rebuilt, mentioning that his conversation with Stefanchuk about history was at times pleasant, at times unpleasant, but very honest.

Czarzasty also pointed out that Polish-Ukrainian relations must be rebuilt on truth. The truth, as he stated, is that 5 percent of all workers in Poland are Ukrainians and they have generated 2.7 percent of the GDP, while also emphasizing that there is no safe Poland without a safe Ukraine.

EU Integration and Historical Reckoning

Czarzasty noted that no nation can run away from history and that such meetings are part of addressing past losses.

He stressed that he is a supporter of Ukraine’s entry into the European Union, but noted that this step will require Ukrainians to rethink all aspects of their history. He pointed out that the EU is democracy and values rather than just an automated teller machine, and that it also entails calling genocide genocide, reiterating that no nation can escape its history.