Ukraine after disintegration of the USSR has not been able to develop as fast as Poland.
The President of Poland in 1990-1995 Lech Walesa said in an interview with “Today”.
According to the politician, despite the fact that Poland and Ukraine have a common socialist past, positions for the development was different from them.
“No one believed that communism would collapse so quickly. We are here, in the inner countries, was not ready, but the West too was not ready. Therefore, a living organism improvise. Somehow we have come. Ukraine was in an even worse position, because he was very dependent on Russia. And chopping off all of this lot cost. The worst situation was for those who were the most cooperated, those who are most connected to, the situation was deplorable. Therefore, Ukraine has more issues than we are in Poland” – said Walesa.
He also commented on the statements of the EU officials that Ukraine until it was time to join the EU: “There are two philosophies. Some say: “Try to align what is possible, and only then join.” And in the end to play the hymns. Others say, “No! Open! Who will survive, he will live.” Which one is better? I can say that Poland was a little further away are less dependent on Russia, it can be used to join the EU, as in the first concept. Ukraine is a big country. And strongly dependent on Russia. So it is more difficult. Europe is not able to absorb such a country.”
“When I was President of Poland, I worked as much as for Ukraine and for Poland. In Canada, in Brazil, talked with different your countrymen, prepared them to engage together in the European Union. But I lost the election. Those who came to power, acted differently, and the process stalled. But we had to join the EU together. Ukraine and even Belarus. But Belarus is still a difficult situation, it is even more dependent on Russia”, – concluded the politician.
Read an interview with Lech Walesa to the site “Today”, “No free Poland without a free Ukraine”
