Zelenskiy skips Gdansk forum as diplomatic row with Poland deepens

The decision follows a sharp deterioration in relations triggered by a Ukrainian military unit’s choice of a namesake linked to World War Two-era massacres of Poles. Polish President Karol Nawrocki further escalated the tension by stripping Zelenskiy of the Order of the White Eagle, prompting a wave of Ukrainian officials to return their own Polish state honors in protest.

Despite the friction, Prime Minister Donald Tusk signaled relief at the prospect of a more focused forum. Tusk, who remains at odds with the Polish President, emphasized that the conference will proceed with the primary goal of finalizing 200 agreements for energy infrastructure and postwar reconstruction. While opposition lawmaker Iryna Geraschenko urged the government to prioritize normalizing ties given Ukraine’s reliance on Polish logistics, Tusk maintained that the economic stakes—involving hundreds of billions of dollars for Polish and international firms—transcend the current political hostility.