Zelensky met Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Lublin on Wednesday, following weeks of heightened friction over historical memory, bilateral political disputes and the treatment of Ukrainians in Poland. Their talks covered defense cooperation, historical grievances and the security of Ukrainian refugees, but the broader message was unmistakable: Poland and Ukraine cannot afford to let disputes over the past weaken their ability to confront the Russian threat they face today.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. For Fried, who served as US ambassador to Poland from 1997 to 2000 and later as assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, the meeting marked an important shift back toward strategic realism. “It was an excellent step,” Fried said. “This was a first-rate, wise move by President Zelensky, and I suspect that there have been productive contacts between Poles and Ukrainians.” ‘Fights about history could go on forever’ Relations between Warsaw and Kyiv had deteriorated sharply in recent weeks as painful disputes rooted in 20th-century history again moved to the center of political debate. The tensions became serious enough for Tusk to warn publicly that the worsening quarrel “pleases Putin and shocks our allies,” while insisting that Poland’s fundamental security interest remains tied to Ukraine’s ability to resist Russia. Zelensky responded with a five-point roadmap aimed at repairing relations, including deeper diplomatic engagement, broader archival access, continued exhumations and expanded historical research.