Zelenskyy congratulates Polish nationalist Nawrocki on presidential win

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined regional leaders at the B9 Summit in Lithuania on Monday, using the platform to congratulate Poland’s newly elected president and reaffirm Ukraine’s commitment to strengthening NATO’s eastern flank amid ongoing security challenges.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Lithuania on Monday to participate in the Bucharest Nine (B9) Summit, where he met with regional allies to discuss security coordination and the future of NATO’s eastern flank. The event comes amid a key political transition in Poland following presidential elections, which drew remarks from several leaders attending the summit.

Upon arrival at the summit venue, the historic B9 platform for Central and Eastern European NATO members, President Zelenskyy was welcomed by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. The two leaders posed for the media before proceeding into the meeting.

Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy extended his congratulations to Poland’s newly elected president, Karol Nawrocki. “Poland is our big friend and strong neighbor,” Zelenskyy said. “I already sent a message congratulating the new president and I hope we will speak soon. We respect the voice of the Polish people and I thank them all.”

Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of Poland’s continued role as a partner to Ukraine, especially in the context of regional security and defense cooperation.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also arrived for the summit, underlining the alliance’s commitment to collective defense and the ongoing support for Ukraine in its resistance against Russian aggression.

Addressing the leadership change in Warsaw, outgoing Polish President Andrzej Duda reflected on the political direction chosen by the Polish electorate. “This is the support of Poles for Karol Nawrocki, who has consistently said he would continue the policies I inherited from President Lech Kaczyński,” Duda said in Polish. He highlighted a legacy of strong Poland–U.S. ties, increased defense spending, and investment in nationwide development as key pillars of that policy.

President Zelenskyy expressed hope that under Nawrocki’s leadership, Ukraine and Poland would continue working closely together to strengthen NATO’s eastern defenses.

The B9 Summit convened leaders from across the region to reaffirm unity and readiness in the face of growing security challenges, as the war in Ukraine remains at the center of European strategic concerns.

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