Zelenskyy plans to attend Ukraine reconstruction conference in Gdańsk despite diplomatic row with Poland
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is planning to take part in the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk on 25–26 June, a lawmaker from his party said, signalling that a recent crisis over wartime historical symbols will not derail the high‑stakes gathering.
Conference at a crossroads
The Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 will be held in Gdańsk on 25–26 June, bringing together heads of state and government, European Commission officials, financial institutions, business leaders and local governments. The agenda focuses on energy, critical infrastructure and logistics, with Poland adding a security and defence pillar for the first time. Paweł Kowal, head of Poland’s Council for Cooperation with Ukraine, called it one of the most important political and business events in Europe this year.
It will be one of the most important political and business events in Europe in 2026.
Roots of a diplomatic crisis
The conference is overshadowed by a bitter dispute that erupted in late May when Zelenskyy bestowed the name “Heroes of the UPA” on a Ukrainian special operations unit. The move drew sharp criticism in Poland, where the Ukrainian Insurgent Army is held responsible for the 1943 Volhynia massacres. On 8 June, at the request of Polish President Karol Nawrocki, the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle discussed stripping Zelenskyy of the honour. The president’s office said a decision would be made “in due course.”
A turn in Kyiv’s signals
Ukrainian MP Mykyta Poturajew, a member of Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People party, told Polish media on 13 June that the president “is supposed to be there” in Gdańsk. He stressed that plans assume Zelenskyy’s attendance, though he could not speak on the president’s behalf. The comments mark a shift from a week earlier, when unofficial government sources said the Ukrainian leader might drop the visit over fears of protests and a frosty reception.
He is supposed to be there. Such plans exist and I know that all of us are planning to come. Although I cannot speak on his behalf.
Poturajew insisted that Kyiv does not seek conflict with Warsaw, but defended the UPA designation. He compared the Polish debate to earlier Ukrainian nationalist commemorations under former president Viktor Yushchenko and said the discussion had long ago “gone in the wrong direction.”
- Polish Order of the White Eagle chapter discusses revoking Zelenskyy's decoration.
- Ukraine suspends naming unit after Shukhevych; proposes joint historical commission.
- MP Mykyta Poturajew signals Zelenskyy will attend Gdańsk conference.
- Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 opens in Gdańsk.
Polish government pushes for de‑escalation
Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed the crisis at a press conference, urging Zelenskyy and President Nawrocki to find a better way to defuse emotions. “To be honest, I appealed more to the Ukrainian side to take the initiatives we need, to show goodwill and inventiveness,” Tusk said. He noted that it was the Ukrainian president’s decision that triggered the current row. Tusk added that Zelenskyy is a co‑host of the Gdańsk conference and indicated he expected the visit to proceed.
I appealed more to the Ukrainian side to take the initiatives we need, to show goodwill and inventiveness.
A gesture and a proposal
In a further sign of restraint, Ukrainian authorities suspended a plan to name another military unit after Roman Shukhevych, a controversial UPA commander, a move reported on 11 June. At the same time, Kyiv floated the idea of a joint Polish‑Ukrainian commission to handle historical issues, though details have not been announced. The conference itself is seen as a vital forum for securing continued financial support and Western corporate participation in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
