---
title: "Ankara without compromises: results of Nawrocki and Zelensky's meeting and new risks for Ukraine's European integration"
description: "The meeting between Nawrocki and Zelensky in Ankara passed without breakthroughs: historical disputes remain unresolved. Warsaw warned Kyiv: disputes over memory could become a barrier to joining the EU 🇵🇱🇺🇦🚫"
date: 2026-07-09T13:58:30.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ankara-without-compromises-results-of-nawrocki-and-zelenskys-meeting-and-new-risks-for-ukraines-european-integration
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Ankara without compromises: results of Nawrocki and Zelensky's meeting and new risks for Ukraine's European integration

![Meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Polish Foreign Minister in Ankara against the backdrop of Ukrainian and Polish flags and the NATO logo](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/09/ankara-itoги-vstrechi-navrotskogo-i-zelenskogo-istoricheskie-raznoglasia/ankara-itoги-vstrechi-navrotskogo-i-zelenskogo-istoricheskie-raznoglasia-1.webp)

In Ankara, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, a key bilateral meeting between the leaders of Poland and Ukraine took place. Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held hour-long negotiations, during which they discussed strategic partnership and regional security. However, despite formal unity in assessing external threats, the meeting confirmed that historical disagreements between the countries remain unresolved.

### Geopolitical consensus against the backdrop of diplomatic cooling

Despite the recorded cooling in bilateral relations, the heads of state confirmed a unity of views on key challenges. As Karol Nawrocki noted in a comment to Polsat News, both countries assess the risks emanating from the Russian Federation in the same way, characterizing them as the main long-term threat to national independence and stability on the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance.

The Polish delegation emphasized the need to maintain channels for information exchange. The summary indicators of the negotiation agenda were distributed across the following areas:

    - **Defense vector:** Full coordination within the NATO mandate and confirmation of common security threats.

    - **Political interaction:** Declaration to continue contacts at the highest level to overcome institutional stagnation.

    - **Historical block:** Fixation of fundamental disagreements without reaching compromise solutions.

### Historical memory as a barrier to integration

The main discussion block of the meeting was the issue of historical policy, specifically the assessment of the Volhynian events of 1943–1944 and the use of the symbolism of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Karol Nawrocki, who previously headed the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) of Poland, defined Warsaw's position as uncompromising. He emphasized that the public perception of these events within the republic is a factor that cannot be revised.

The Polish side officially conveyed a worrying thesis to the Ukrainian delegation: the popularization of certain historical figures and formations associated with them is perceived in Warsaw as a destructive element. Moreover, Polish leaders directly indicated that this could create long-term barriers to Ukraine's integration into the structures of the European Union.

The Ukrainian leadership took the information into account, expressing readiness for further consultations, but confirmed its commitment to the sovereign right to form a national historical narrative. Thus, Warsaw and Kyiv remain at different positions regarding the interpretation of historical events.

### Legal consequences and the future of relations

The situation is exacerbated by the legal context. Interstate disputes over issues of historical heritage and the exhumation of victims of military conflicts are regulated by bilateral agreements on cooperation in the field of culture. Their implementation directly affects the signing of interstate treaties and the implementation of integration procedures within the framework of EU regulations. Until a compromise is found, this issue remains a stumbling block in the relations of the two strategic partners.