THE Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited today neighboring Poland and thanked it for the “historic” help it provides to his country, stressing that Warsaw should become a key partner in the effort to rebuild Ukraine after the end of the war with Russia.

Warsaw is one of Kiev’s closest allies and has played a key role in persuading reluctant countries to supply Ukraine with heavy weaponry. Today, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that “in the future” his country may concede to Ukraine all MiG-29 fighters, Soviet-made, which has. Poland has already delivered eight MiG-29s and is soon to send six more to Kiev.

At the press conference given by the two leaders, Duda said that the delivery of all MiG-29s (about 30 in total) would depend on “an agreement between the allies” of Poland in NATO. He explained that the “green light” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is necessary, since the MiG-29s that remain in his country’s possession have been adapted “to NATO standards”, mainly in terms of communication systems and their ability to perform reconnaissance flights in NATO airspace.

Earlier, Duda awarded Zelenski with the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest honor.

“You stood by us and we are grateful. I believe this is a historic relationship, a historic result and a historic strength between our countries.”said Zelensky receiving the award.

Duda appeared optimistic that Ukraine would emerge victorious in the war with Russia. “We have no doubt that your guidance combined with the heroism of Ukrainian soldiers saved Ukraine. We have no doubt that your guidance is saving Europe from the cataclysm of Russian imperialism,” he said.

A Ukrainian refugee, 46-year-old Olena, when asked what Zelensky’s visit means to her, made an approving gesture and then burst into tears. “If it wasn’t for him, there wouldn’t be Ukraine now,” she said, expressing her gratitude to Poland for being able to stay and work in that country.

Zelensky is due to attend an economic forum later today. He invited Polish businessmen to visit Ukraine before the end of the war in order to secure a better position in the Ukrainian market and in the reconstruction effort of his country.

Referred to in the situation in the city of Bahamut, in eastern Ukraine, she admitted that it is difficultnoting that “appropriate decisions” will be taken if Ukrainian soldiers risk being surrounded by Russian forces. “For me, the most important thing is not to lose our soldiers” he emphasized.

In addition to the MiG-29s, Ukraine is also asking its Western allies to provide it with US F-16 fighter jets, but Duda’s foreign policy adviser, Marcin Printacs, said Poland would not make such a decision anytime soon. “F-16s protect Polish skies. There is no such decision at this stage.”he emphasized.

The Poles, overwhelmingly, side with the Ukrainians in this war. An Ipsos poll showed that more than 8 in 10 (82%) believe that NATO and European Union member countries should support Ukraine until victory.

However, Zelenskiy’s visit to Poland comes at a time when farming anger is intensifying because Ukrainian grain imports have pushed down prices in many eastern European countries. The prime ministers of five eastern EU countries, in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said they may have to reinstate tariffs on Ukrainian agricultural products if it is not possible to stop by other means the massive imports of products that are pushing lower prices in European markets.

Polish Minister of Agriculture Henryk Kowalczyk resigned due to this crisis.