Ukrainian president puts Poland at top of post-war reconstruction partners

By Jo Harper

WARSAW (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that it was crucial for Polish companies to be at the forefront of Ukrainian plans to rebuild.

“We invite Polish businessmen to actively enter the Ukrainian market. It is very important for us that Poland should be one of the most important partners in the reconstruction of Ukraine. We want Polish business to be one of the leaders in our market,” Zelenskyy said at a news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw.

“I think Poland believes in our victory. Therefore, those who arrive earlier will certainly earn more,” he said. “Poland has many businesses with experience, people and money. Today, we will be signing documents on the development of infrastructure projects, which we are also very interested in.”

Duda said Poland and Ukraine were working on a new treaty. He said before the Russian aggression, there were 1,000 Polish companies in Ukraine and expressed hope that in the future there will be more Polish companies on the Ukrainian market.

“I hope that the end of the Russian attack by driving the Russian aggressors out of the territory of Ukraine will mean full opening of the gates for further joint economic development,” he said. “We want it to be Poland and Ukraine without borders.”

Polish government spokesman Piotr Müller announced earlier that three agreements would be signed.

The first concerns Ukraine's purchase of 100 Rosomak armored personnel carriers. Subsequent contracts will concern the participation of Polish companies in the reconstruction of Ukraine. And the continuation of cooperation between two strategic defense companies.