The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has outlined a strategic course toward normalizing bilateral relations with Poland and announced progress compared to the situation that developed in the summer. This was stated by MFA spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi during a briefing in response to journalists' questions. According to him, Kyiv is deliberately building a line toward what he called "pragmatic good neighborhood" and is preparing a series of events designed to make November a month of revitalizing the Ukrainian-Polish dialogue.
November as a Contact Restart Point
Tykhyi emphasized that in November, we can expect "new dynamics" in relations between the two countries: a greater number of Ukrainian-Polish contacts, events, and visits. According to him, Ukraine is purposefully preparing for this format because it wants November to be the month of normalizing relations with Warsaw. Thus, the agency is signaling a transition from a cooling period to an active phase of restoring political and institutional interaction.
From "Unconditional Love" to Pragmatism
Separately, the MFA spokesperson emphasized that Ukraine's course is toward pragmatism. "It is time to move from the format of charity, simply unconditional love for each other, to a format of pragmatism," he stated, adding that the countries "need each other." As a benchmark, Tykhyi cited Minister Sybiha's phrase that Ukraine and Poland are "condemned to good neighborhood" and called this approach the most accurate description of relations with neighboring states.
Context: Rising Tensions Around the Ukrainian Diaspora
Statements about normalization came against the backdrop of a series of incidents involving the Ukrainian diaspora in Poland. For instance, a 30-year-old man in the country attacked two Ukrainians with a knife on a bus, and their nationality was the motive for the aggression; according to law enforcement, the attacker was detained. Earlier, the Ukrainian ambassador to Poland reported that over the past three years, the number of attacks on Ukrainians in the country has increased by 30%. These facts form the practical context in which the Ukrainian MFA is discussing the transition to "pragmatic good neighborhood."
What This Means for the Bilateral Track
Taken together, the MFA spokesperson's statements indicate Kyiv's attempt to set a new, more business-like tone in relations with Warsaw: shifting from an emotionally supportive format to mutually beneficial partnership relying on regular contacts and visits. The expected increase in activity in November will be a practical test of how ready both sides are to implement the stated course of "obligatory good neighborhood" amid ongoing socio-political friction surrounding the Ukrainian community in Poland.
