Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC-2026) scheduled to take place in Gdansk, Poland.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, official sources confirmed that the Ukrainian leader has decided against participating in the event. Instead, the Ukrainian delegation will be led by First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliya Sviridenko.
In a statement released on her social media channels, Sviridenko confirmed she would head the delegation in Gdansk, emphasizing that Ukraine remains committed to building cooperation with international partners based on the principles of mutual respect.
Georgi Tykhyi, a representative of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, indicated that this decision was taken to prevent potential political tensions and avoid further diplomatic friction.
The current strain in relations between Kyiv and Warsaw stems from events that began in late May. Reports suggest that a decision by President Zelenskyy to name a unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) sparked significant backlash in Poland. Following this, reports indicate that Karol Nawrocki, head of the Institute of National Remembrance, moved to strip Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state honor. In response, several Ukrainian politicians have announced they are renouncing their Polish state awards in protest.
The conference in Gdansk is expected to be attended by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, rather than the Polish President, reflecting the ongoing diplomatic complexities between the two nations.
The Ukraine Recovery Conference series serves as a critical international platform aimed at mobilizing global support for the reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine's infrastructure, economy, and social services following the ongoing conflict. These conferences typically bring together government officials, international organizations, and private sector leaders to coordinate long-term recovery strategies.
