Polish PM's adviser: Trump risks major mistake by acknowledging Russian control over Crimea

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's adviser on Ukraine, Pawel Kowal, has said that US President Donald Trump risks committing a "historical mistake". 

He noted that a mistake may be made if his negotiations to end the war in Ukraine lead to the US recognising Russia’s territorial claims over Crimea and other occupied territories, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Kowal, who also leads the Polish parliament’s foreign affairs committee, cautioned that acknowledging Russia’s territorial expansion would set a dangerous precedent for Central Europe.

In an interview, Kowal explained that if Russia's territorial gains were legally recognized, it would cross a "red line" for Poland and much of the region. Kowal made the remarks ahead of a trip to Washington, where he is scheduled to meet with senior US lawmakers and Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy on Ukraine. Kowal emphasized that there is a key difference between "provisional solutions" to end the conflict and fulfilling Russia’s demands to recognize annexed territories like Crimea and Donbas, which he deemed a "historical mistake." 

Kowal warned that accepting Russia’s territorial claims would allow President Vladimir Putin to extend his vision of "imperial Russia," an outcome he described as "horrible." He also noted Poland's own historical experience, having been partitioned by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939, and later falling under Soviet control. 

He argued that discussing Ukraine's security in isolation from Central Europe’s broader security issues was problematic. Although Kowal expressed confidence that Trump would not allow Russia to legally control Ukrainian territory, he acknowledged concerns about Trump's recent praise for Putin and his criticisms of NATO allies and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Kowal also highlighted the importance of strong security guarantees for Ukraine, especially to attract foreign investment for post-conflict reconstruction. Kowal emphasized that while Poland would continue to support Ukraine logistically, it would not deploy soldiers as part of any peacekeeping mission, as it remains focused on defending its own borders from Russian and Belarusian threats.

By Naila Huseynova