Who Is Lech Wałęsa? Polish Cold War Hero Writes To Trump Expressing ‘Horror And Distaste’ At Trump’s Treatment Of Zelenskyy

Lech Wałęsa, former Polish president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has joined more than 30 former Polish political prisoners in condemning former U.S. President Donald Trump’s treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a recent meeting at the White House.

Comparison to Communist-Era Interrogations

In a letter addressed to Trump, Wałęsa and the signatories expressed their “horror and distaste” at the way Trump and his vice president demanded gratitude from Zelenskyy amid Ukraine’s ongoing struggle for freedom. The letter described the demand as “insulting” given the sacrifices made by Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

The letter drew a stark comparison between the atmosphere in the Oval Office and the experiences of the signatories under Poland’s communist regime. The former dissidents recounted how interrogations by Poland’s secret services and regime courts during the communist era involved similar dynamics of power and humiliation.

“The prosecutors and the judges, working on behalf of the omnipotent Communist party police, also told us that they held all the cards, and we held none,” the letter stated. “We are shocked that you treated Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the same way.”

Lech Wałęsa And His Solidarity Movement Legacy

Wałęsa, a central figure in Poland’s pro-democracy Solidarity movement, played a pivotal role in the collapse of communism in the country, inspiring similar movements across Eastern Europe. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and served as Poland’s first democratically elected president from 1990 to 1995.

Among the other prominent signatories were Adam Michnik, Bogdan Lis, Seweryn Blumsztajn, and Władysław Frasyniuk — all of whom were imprisoned during the communist era for their roles in the opposition movement.

Lech Wałęsa Letter: A Symbol of Solidarity with Ukraine

The letter underscores the signatories’ solidarity with Ukraine, drawing parallels between Ukraine’s current struggle for sovereignty and Poland’s fight for democracy. The former dissidents emphasized their shared history of resisting authoritarianism and called for respect toward Ukraine’s leadership.

“We know what it means to fight for freedom against a more powerful adversary,” the letter concluded. “President Zelenskyy deserves support, not humiliation.”

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