Russia will continue using its intelligence services to sow discord between Ukraine and Poland. Yet deepening ties between Kyiv and Warsaw is crucial for the security of the entire region, said Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR), in an interview with Defence24.
Budanov stressed that any final and effective negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are “impossible without all parties involved.”
He underlined that Eastern European security concerns both Ukraine and Poland, adding: “This is our common cause. We look forward to further strengthening and deepening cooperation with Poland.”
Russia has long sought to drive a wedge between Ukraine and Poland, Budanov noted, but he expressed confidence in the wisdom of both nations and their governments.
“We share a rich and proud history. Russia has always been our adversary, often even our enemy. Together, we have repeatedly overcome its aggression—even capturing Moscow during the Polish-Muscovite War (1609–1618),” he remarked.
Budanov urged both nations to move past historical grievances.
“We must stop fighting the ghosts of the past. History should be accepted, common solutions found, and we must move forward,” the Ukrainian intelligence chief said.
He warned that Russia will continue exploiting historical divisions to manipulate relations between Ukraine and Poland but emphasized that history should serve as a source of strength.
For instance, Kyiv and Warsaw have a long-term dispute over the Volyn tragedy, which marked by the mass killing of approximately 30,000 Poles by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and violence against 10,000 Ukrainians. Poland regards these events as genocide, while Ukraine emphasizes the complex motives behind its army’s actions.
Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed that Ukraine must acknowledge and resolve its grievances to gain Poland’s support for its EU membership and allow exhumation of the victims of the Volyn tragedy. Later, Polish President Andrzej Duda says that he has not issued ultimatums to Ukraine regarding the issue.
Duda: Poland won’t let historical issues hinder support for Ukraine
The intelligence chief also reaffirmed Ukraine’s gratitude for Poland’s unwavering support since the war began and assured that Kyiv would reciprocate if needed. He highlighted the shared border as a foundation for growing cooperation, which could eventually “evolve into something greater.”
“The global security architecture is undergoing extreme tests. Our task is to make alliances more effective and resilient,” he stated, referencing future cooperation through military-technical projects, industrial investments, and economic reconstruction.
Budanov noted that Poland has long been Ukraine’s advocate in NATO and the EU, and he hopes that support will continue.
He also endorsed the development of the Baltic-Black Sea security corridor and further collaboration within the Three Seas Initiative, emphasizing its significance for both regional and global security.
At the same time, Budanov underscored the necessity of continued military aid from Ukraine’s allies.
“Without US support, things will be very difficult for us, so we must do everything possible to maintain it,” he said.
Quoting a Ukrainian proverb—”One warrior does not make a battlefield,”—Budanov emphasized the importance of US-Ukraine cooperation as mutually beneficial. He further argued that Ukraine is now indispensable to European security.
“Without Ukraine, there is no global security for the European continent. And without our heroic army—the largest in Europe, hardened in the biggest war since World War II—that security is impossible,” the Ukrainian intelligence chief stated.
He added that Ukraine’s role in protecting Europe from Russian aggression is significant.
“Every Russian tank destroyed by Ukrainians is a tank that won’t fight against Poland or Europe,” he stressed.
Previosely, NATO and Ukraine officially opened the Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Center (JATEC) in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The center aims to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and enhance its interoperability with NATO.
Speaking at the opening of the center, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska said it would allow NATO to learn firsthand from Ukraine’s experience in countering Russian aggression.
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