Putin wants Ukraine’s surrender, not peace - Sikorski
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that Vladimir Putin's real goal is not peace, but the defeat of Ukraine, which threatens the whole of Europe.
According to Censor.NET, citing Ukrinform, Sikorski made this statement during a speech in the Sejm on Poland's foreign policy priorities for 2026.
He stressed that the aggressor, Russia, bears full responsibility for the war against Ukraine.
"Attacks on civilians, residential buildings, schools, trains, or hospitals are a gross violation of fundamental norms of international law. Putin seeks not peace, but capitulation," Minister Sikorski said.
The Budapest Memorandum and Security Assurances
Sikorski recalled that in the 1990s, it was Russia that provided neutral Ukraine with security guarantees under the Budapest Memorandum. In exchange, Ukraine renounced its nuclear weapons, which at the time were the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world.
"Thanks to the courage of its soldiers, the self-sacrifice of its citizens, and the support of allies around the world, including Poland, Ukraine is defending itself. To all those who believe that helping Ukraine is unnecessary or unprofitable, I say this directly: you are wrong," emphasized the head of Polish diplomacy.
He recalled the words of Polish thinker Jerzy Giedroyc that Poland must preserve the independence of Ukraine, Lithuania, and Belarus at all costs, as this is in its vital interests.
According to the minister, if Ukraine were to lose, the threat to Poland would only increase.
"Let's imagine that Putin's tanks had stopped in Medyka near Przemyśl. We would have had to spend significantly more money on strengthening our defenses than the cost of aid to Ukraine today," he stressed.
Financial dimension of assistance
Between 2022 and 2025, the EU and its member states provided Ukraine with nearly €200 billion in support. At the same time, defending NATO's eastern flank in the event of a possible Russian aggression would cost at least €1.2 trillion.
"A free Ukraine, which is part of the West, is a chance to pull the teeth of Russian imperialism, strengthen joint defense, and develop economic cooperation," Sikorski said.
He emphasized that Poland is the second largest supplier of goods to Ukraine. In particular, the sale of 54 Krab self-propelled howitzers became the largest export contract in the history of the Polish defense industry.
On June 24–25, Gdańsk will host the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026, dedicated to the reconstruction of Ukraine.
The minister emphasized that thanks to its membership in the EU and NATO, stable legislation, and close ties with Kyiv, Poland is a "gateway for investment" in Ukraine.
According to him, thanks to Ukrainians living in Poland, Polish GDP grew by almost PLN 100 billion in 2024. Ukrainians have established over 120,000 companies in Poland, which are already strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
Solidarity and European integration
Sikorski emphasized that Poland's acceptance of Ukrainian refugees and its assistance to Ukraine during attacks on energy infrastructure will forever remain part of Polish history.
"Russia brings suffering – Poland brings warmth," he said.
The Foreign Minister also stressed that Warsaw supports Kyiv's European integration course.
"Kyiv's victory will be our victory," he concluded.
