Episode 5. Iwona Reichardt: Poland perceives the war in Ukraine as its own

«Ukraine is the driving force. And the Ukrainian issue is the driving force to unite finally Europe. Russia is something, some place, where Europe ends. Because we talk about the geographical borders of Europe. In the sense of political, cultural, yes. Where Russia is, there is no Europe», — Ambassador of Poland H.E. Mr. Jaroslaw Guzy. Poland saw accession to the EU as a path to regain its freedom after the communist regime. Its experience highlights the importance of readiness for reforms and a firm stance for EU membership. In our new video project An Outside Opinion, Ambassador of Poland H.E. Mr. Jaroslaw Guzy, emphasizes the support Poland provides to Ukraine, especially during the conflict with Russia. Poland advocates for Ukraine's swift and resolute approach towards EU integration, while also emphasizing the importance of political unity to achieve this goal.

🇺🇲In 2007, Romania joined the EU. However, before that, it had to overcome numerous challenges such as transitioning from dictatorship to democracy, combating corruption, and adapting to European standards. The Ambassador of Romania to Ukraine, Alexandru Victor Micula, who was a guest on the second episode of our project An Outside Opinion, shared Romania's experience on the path to the European Union and provided advice for Ukraine. According to him, the reforms being conducted currently are extremely important, especially during wartime. We discussed the possibility of cooperation between Ukraine and Romania in the fields of energy, defense, digitalization, and infrastructure. As well as the necessity of increasing support for Ukraine from international partners, the impact of the war on Europe's security, and ensuring international accountability and condemnation of Russian aggression.

🗣«I can't really see the slightest chance that Russia could succeed in reaching its goals in Ukraine. I simply can't see it. I mean, I don't believe it. The aggressor must pay for the damage he has caused», — shared the Ambassador of Latvia in Ukraine, Ilgvars Klava. Latvia stands as a steadfast ally of Ukraine, recognizing the imperative for solidarity in the face of Russian aggression. Latvia's journey to the European Union and NATO ran parallel, driven by the goal of securing its independence. While NATO focused on military security against threats like Russia, the EU facilitated economic development and societal modernization. The support for Ukraine, the necessity of reforms on the path to the EU, economic sanctions, and post-war reconstruction were discussed in the latest episode of An Outside Opinion.

In the first issue of our project, An Outside Opinion, we spoke with Ambassador of Estonia Anneli Kolk about Ukraine's path to European integration. Kolk shared Estonia's own experience of joining the EU, highlights the importance of reforms, stability and international cooperation. She emphasized that Ukraine's path can be faster thanks to its 30-year independence and existing reforms. They also discussed the support of the European Union, the concern of partners about Russian aggression, security guarantees and the role of NATO. Additionally, the ambassador discusses potential areas of cooperation between Estonia and Ukraine, including digitalization and cybersecurity.