What Kyiv signalled on Crimea and Poland before 10 April 2023
A look back at two political developments from the days leading up to 10 April 2023: a visit to Warsaw and a statement on talks over Crimea.
What was Ukraine's political message in the days before 10 April 2023? Two developments from the preceding week stand out: a presidential visit to Poland and a statement on the possible future of Crimea.
On 5 April 2023, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an official visit to Poland. During his meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Zelenskyy received the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest order.
On 6 April 2023, Andriy Sybiha, described as a deputy head, said Ukraine was prepared to hold negotiations on the future of Crimea if the Ukrainian counteroffensive reached the administrative border of Crimea. The remark made the condition explicit: any such talks were tied to military progress reaching that line.
Taken together, the two events from 5 and 6 April 2023 showed Kyiv combining visible diplomatic support from a neighbouring state with a stated position on how talks over Crimea might arise.
