Cracks in the Alliance: Poland and ‘Ungrateful’ Ukraine Summon Each Other’s Ambassadors in Diplomatic Row Over the Renewal of European Import Ban of Ukrainian Grain

Lately, the lack of demonstrable gratitude by the Kyiv’s regime has become deeply disturbing to some of its allies. Recently, Zelensky’s criticism of NATO during the Vilnius summit upset Washington so much that Biden and his team momentarily pondered abandoning their promise to invite Kyiv to join the military alliance.

U.K. defense secretary Ben Wallace also lost his temper with the lack of gratitude, and told the Ukrainians ‘that [he was] not like Amazon’.

The same goes, now, for Poland. Kyiv and Warsaw have been main allies in the present military conflict, but when it comes to the export of grains, there are significant differences that divide them.

The European Union has allowed Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia to ban domestic sales of Ukrainian grain: wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seeds.

The grain sales ban is set to expire on Sept. 15, but Poland’s has made it clear that it will not lift it even if the EU does not agree on its extension.

Kiev reacted in the customary vocal way, and described the Polish decision as “unfriendly”. That led top adviser to Poland’s president Andrzej Duda, Marcin Przydacz, head of the international policy bureau, to react.

Przydacz said: “I think it would be worthwhile for (Kyiv) to start appreciating what role Poland has played for Ukraine over past months and years.”

Reuters reported:

“Ukraine and Poland called in the ambassadors from each other’s countries on Tuesday as a dispute escalated after a foreign policy adviser to Poland’s president said Kyiv should show more appreciation for Warsaw’s support in its war with Russia.

The adviser, Marcin Przydacz, also said the Polish government must defend the interests of the country’s farmers – a reference to a ban on imports of Ukrainian commodities which will expire next month.”

The Ukrainian foreign ministry told the Polish ambassador that statements about Ukraine’s alleged ungratefulness for Poland’s help were ‘untrue and unacceptable’.

“We are convinced that Ukrainian-Polish friendship is much deeper than political expediency. Politics should not call into question the mutual understanding and strength of relations between our peoples,” a Ukrainian statement said.

Poland also called in the Ukrainian ambassador to Warsaw in response to the ‘comments of representatives of Ukrainian authorities’, Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on the X platform.”

The nations of Europe know that the freedom of each individual is strongest when it is the common freedom of all. In Europe, we know how to unite and defend our values side by side, regardless of any seasons and moods, political trends, or personal ambitions. But now we see…

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 1, 2023

Zelensky, also writing on X, weighed in:

“The nations of Europe know that the freedom of each individual is strongest when it is the common freedom of all. In Europe, we know how to unite and defend our values side by side, regardless of any seasons and moods, political trends, or personal ambitions. But now we see various signals that politics is sometimes trying to be above unity, and emotions are trying to be above the fundamental interests of nations. Ukraine is fighting for its freedom and the freedom of the whole of Europe, and we are grateful to every nation that helps. We greatly appreciate the historical support of Poland, which together with us has become a real shield of Europe from sea to sea. And there cannot be a single crack in this shield. We will not allow any political instants to spoil the relations between the Ukrainian and Polish peoples, and emotions should definitely cool down. The freedom and well-being of our nations, the values of our Europe and the victory over the common Russian enemy are above all.”

The Ukrainian attitude is developing into a real problem for the western alliance. American National Security writer Tom Rogan wrote on the Washington Examiner:

“It’s understandable that Ukraine wants to maximize its access to effective weapons and maximal financial aid. […] What is less clear is why Ukrainian officials are acting increasingly rude and petulant when some of their greatest foreign partners ask for a little more gratitude.

[…] I understand that numerous other Western governments have pushed Ukraine to show more public gratitude. This is seen as important in consolidating domestic populations in support of continued aid.

[…] By reflexively lashing out whenever even mild requests for greater thanks are made, Ukraine does no service to its own interests. Indeed, it only makes it less likely that future aid will be as generous.”