Speaking at a meeting in Warsaw with his visiting New Zealand counterpart Winston Peters, Sikorski also expressed anticipation for the ratification of a free trade agreement with the European Union by New Zealand, scheduled for May 1.
He said this agreement would enhance trade between Poland and New Zealand and reduce bureaucratic barriers, signaling a step forward in strengthening economic ties.
Peters, for his part, putting the geographical distance between the two countries in perspective, said that Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine posed a significant threat to the liberal order based on established principles and rule of law.
The veteran New Zealand politician acknowledged Poland's strategic understanding of international difficulties, especially its leadership in supporting Ukraine's defense against Russia.
Peters lauded Poland for providing support to over a million Ukrainian refugees, a gesture he described as an admirable humanitarian response.
Both ministers agreed on the necessity to bolster defense capabilities in the face of international threats, discussing issues beyond the Ukrainian conflict, including the situation in the South China Sea and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
'The Pahiatua Children'
A notable moment of the meeting was Peters' presentation to Sikorski of facsimile correspondence about Polish children welcomed by New Zealand in 1944. This gesture underscored the longstanding humanitarian bonds between the two countries.
The 733 Polish children, primarily orphans from families exiled to the Soviet Union and later evacuated to Iran in 1942, were offered refuge in New Zealand – housed to begin with in a purpose-built camp in Pahiatua, north of Wellington.
New Zealand not only provided them shelter during the war but also ensured their subsequent education and upbringing in Polish culture.
"I have been to the place where the ship with the children arrived, in New Zealand, which is why it is particularly touching for me to accept today's gift of the declassified documents," said Sikorski.
The papers, dating back 80 years, symbolize the enduring gratitude Poland holds for New Zealand's compassionate act, according to the foreign ministry in Warsaw.
This historical episode was initiated by a 1943 conversation between the Polish consul in Wellington, Kazimierz Wodzicki, and the New Zealand prime minister at the time, Peter Fraser.
It led to the successful integration of the Polish kids into New Zealand society, where they have preserved their cultural heritage, and are still known as "The Pahiatua Children," Polish state news agency PAP reported.
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Source: PAP
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.