This is an interview with Piotr Lukasiewicz, the Polish Ambassador to Ukraine, conducted by Martin Fornusek of the Kyiv Independent. The conversation revolves around Poland’s position on defense spending, European peacekeepers in Ukraine, and potential negotiations with Russia.
**Key points:**
1. Poland is advocating for increased defense spending, citing Poland as an example.
2. The Polish government is organizing northern formats to strengthen cooperation among Central European and Nordic allies.
3. Poland does not support the idea of deploying European peacekeepers without a clear definition or understanding of such a mission.
4. A successful ceasefire deal would require Ukraine to be in a strong position, with military capabilities strengthened by international support.
5. Poland believes that negotiations should be conducted from a position of strength, imposing conditions and threats on Russia rather than adopting a submissive stance.
6. Key non-negotiables include strengthening Ukraine’s agency and existence, preventing Russia from dictating terms, and maintaining NATO membership as an option for Ukraine.
**Notable quotes:**
* “A ceasefire can take many forms. Over the past 12 years, we have observed how the ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine looked, how it was immediately broken by Russia after the first phase of the war in 2014, and how Russia committed itself to gradually invading more and more.”
* “The negotiations are dictated by the battlefield. This is war, not a political process. And the war changes a lot on a monthly basis. So we should not talk about the politics of how we should communicate with Russia, but rather achieve a reality on the ground that would serve political and diplomatic messages, with Ukraine being a leader or an actor in it.”
* “Putin wants… to have one partner, one of the big global powers, so he can be again seen as a global leader. And we are in the same basket with the Ukrainians, the Czechs, the Germans, and others being talked over our heads, about our agency, existence, and well-being.”
