Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko will lead Kyiv’s delegation to this week’s Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cancelled his attendance amid a deepening diplomatic dispute with Poland’s government. The decision, confirmed on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, underscores the escalating tensions between the two nations over historical grievances tied to the Second World War.

Svyrydenko announced on social media that she would head the Ukrainian delegation to the high-profile conference, which begins this week in the Polish port city. The move follows Zelenskyy’s abrupt decision to skip the event, a decision reported across European media outlets on the same day. Polish President Andrzej Duda and other European leaders are expected to attend, but the absence of Ukraine’s head of state marks a rare public rupture in relations between two key allies in the war against Russia.

The dispute centres on competing historical narratives. Polish officials, including President Karol Nawrocki, have publicly challenged Ukrainian accounts of wartime events, prompting Kyiv to accuse Warsaw of undermining decades of reconciliation efforts. Former Ukrainian ambassador to Poland, Andriy Deshchytsia, told the Kyiv Independent that Nawrocki’s remarks disregard “decades of reconciliation between Warsaw and Kyiv” .

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry defended Svyrydenko’s participation, stating that the prime minister’s leadership of the delegation is “fully justified” . Meanwhile, Polish officials have signalled a willingness to de-escalate, with Kyiv and Warsaw both indicating they are working to lower tensions. Interfax Ukraine quoted unnamed sources on Tuesday as saying both sides are committed to dialogue .

The conference in Gdańsk, now in its second day, is one of the most significant international gatherings dedicated to Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. It is the first time Poland has hosted the event, reflecting Warsaw’s central role in coordinating Western support for Kyiv. The absence of Zelenskyy, however, risks overshadowing discussions on financial aid, infrastructure rebuilding, and long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.

Analysts suggest the spat could complicate Poland’s efforts to position itself as a leading advocate for Ukraine within the European Union. Marcin Przydacz, head of Poland’s Office of International Policy, criticised Zelenskyy’s decision, calling it a “humiliation” for Prime Minister Donald Tusk .

In a separate development on Tuesday, former Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov was appointed Russia’s ambassador to Abkhazia, according to Meduza . The move reflects Moscow’s ongoing efforts to consolidate influence in breakaway regions amid its prolonged war in Ukraine.

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