On Friday, 19 December, Konfederacja members staged a protest outside the Polish Sejm, demanding President Zelensky return 100 billion euros while leader Sławomir Mentzen vowed they would not submit to Ukrainian demands.
Protest Outside the Sejm
Konfederacja politicians held a demonstration before the Sejm on 19 December, carrying a banner that read: “Zelensky! Return our 100 billion!” The party’s leader, Sławomir Mentzen, posted on X that they “are not servants of the Ukrainian nation” and that they opposed the “surrendering policy” of the government toward Ukraine. Mentzen added that Poland should help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression but that Poles should not allow themselves to be “cowards who can be dragged.”
Zelensky’s Visit to Poland
President Zelensky has already spoken with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Świętokrzyski. After visiting the Presidential Palace, he will travel to the Sejm. At 13:00 he will meet Sejm Marshal Włodzimierz Czarzasty and later lay flowers before the memorial plaque for lawmakers fallen and murdered during World War II. He will speak with Senate Marshal Małgorzata Kidawa‑Błońska at 14:00, and around 15:45 he will meet Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
EU Approves 90‑Billion‑Euro Loan for Ukraine
During the European Union summit in Brussels, the EU decided to grant Ukraine a 90‑billion‑euro loan. The funds will not come from frozen Russian assets, as an agreement on that could not be reached; instead the EU will borrow under guarantees from the European budget. “We are urgently enabling loans to meet Ukraine’s financial needs,” said European Council President Antonio Costa, stressing that the decision is key to achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and that strengthening Ukraine is the only way to pressure Russia into negotiations.
