Poland, Ukraine leaders meet to renew diplomatic ties amid deal on trucker protests

Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Poland appear to be improving after Monday's meeting in Kyiv between Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The two leaders met in what was Tusk's first visit to Ukraine days after Poland's government negotiated a suspension of a border blockade by Polish truckers, with Zelensky calling Tusk "a good friend" amid a rise in tensions under the previous Polish government that was voted out of office.

The Polish prime minister vowed to resolve any at all disputes that remain between the two eastern European countries "in the spirit of friendship" and "not to maintain or multiply" any ongoing diplomatic issues between the two neighboring countries.

After their meeting, Zelensky and Tusk said the two allies had found "a common understanding" regarding the trucker blockade, which started under the previous Polish government.

Tusk and Zelensky discussed several other issues related to Russia's war with Ukraine and the bilateral relations between Poland and Ukraine, as well as Ukraine's admission into the European Union and post-war reconstruction plans for Ukraine.

Zelensky mentioned during their joint press conference after their meeting that a new package of defense assistance from Poland is in the works, but at the current time it is unclear what form that is going to take.

Tusk said that Poland "will do everything" to increase the odds that Ukraine will win the military incursion by Russia.