Ukraine must decide its own future, says Poland’s president

KYIV (Reuters) -Solely Ukraine has the fitting to resolve its future, the Polish president instructed lawmakers in Kyiv on Sunday, as he turned the primary international chief to provide a speech in individual to the Ukrainian parliament since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion.

Kyiv has dominated out any peace deal that may contain it ceding territory and has dismissed requires a ceasefire that may contain Russian forces remaining in territory they’ve occupied, saying this could merely give Moscow time to rebuild its forces.

“Worrying voices have appeared, saying that Ukraine ought to give in to Putin’s calls for,” Andrzej Duda mentioned. “Solely Ukraine has the fitting to resolve about its future… nothing about you with out you,” he added, to a standing ovation within the chamber.

Duda mentioned that the worldwide neighborhood should demand that Russia fully withdraw from Ukrainian territory.

“If Ukraine is sacrificed for… financial causes or political ambitions – even a centimetre of its territory – it is going to be an enormous blow not just for the Ukrainian nation, however for the whole Western world,” Duda mentioned.

Birthplace of the Solidarity commerce union that performed a job in ending Communism in jap Europe, Poland’s relations with Russia have lengthy been fraught. For the reason that Russian invasion Warsaw has positioned itself as one in all Kyiv’s staunchest allies.

Poland is a powerful advocate of powerful sanctions in opposition to Russia and has been vocal in its assist of Ukraine turning into a member of the European Union.

“I can’t relaxation till Ukraine turns into a member of the European Union,” Duda mentioned on Sunday.

(Reporting by Max Hunder, Conor Humphries, Natalia Zinets, Pawel Florkiewicz, Alan Charlish; Enhancing by Toby Chopra)