Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks, as he attends a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (not pictured) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada September 22, 2023.
REUTERS/Blair Gable/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWARSAW, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy awarded two Polish volunteers state awards during a stopover on Saturday, but did not meet any officials as relations between the two countries are strained over grain imports.
Poland decided last week to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports, shaking Kyiv's relationship with a neighbour that has been one of its staunchest allies since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year.
Poland's prime minister told Zelenskiy on Friday not to "insult" Poles, maintaining harsh rhetoric towards Kyiv ahead of elections on October 15.
One of the award recipients, Duda, told Reuters that Zelenskiy was very informal at the meeting like an old friend.
Persons:
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Justin Trudeau, Blair Gable, Zelenskiy, Bianka, Damian Duda, Duda, Marcin Przydacz, Onet.pl, Zelenskiy's, Anna Wlodarczak, Lewis Macdonald, Elaine Monaghan, Andrew Cawthorne
Organizations:
Canadian, REUTERS, Rights, Justice, United Nations General Assembly, Kyiv, Reuters, Polish, Thomson
Locations:
Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, New York, Moscow, Warsaw, Gdansk, Washington