The Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, received at the Magistral Palace in Rome the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Polish Lower house and Chairman of the Council for Cooperation with Ukraine, Pawel Kowal.

During the meeting, which took place on 18 July, possible new areas of cooperation between Poland and the Order of Malta were discussed with a particular focus on emergency relief and development aid to Ukraine.

The Order of Malta has been actively involved in the provision of social and medical assistance since the onset of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. With a presence in over 70 different cities and towns across the country and its relief organization Malteser Ukraine, the Order of Malta has delivered some 7,000 tons of food and emergency supplies, reaching over half a million people in need. In addition, it has developed a series of psychological support schemes directed at young people and children.

Over the past two and half years, the Order of Malta has been providing ongoing assistance also in Ukraine’s neighboring countries, starting with Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania.

The Sovereign Order of Malta and Poland have maintained diplomatic relations since 1990. The Polish Association was established in 1920 and has approximately 150 members. The Polish Rescue Corps, founded in 1990, relies on the contribution of over a thousand volunteers.

In March 2024, the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta Fra’ John Dunlap made an official visit to Poland and met with the President of the Republic Andrzej Duda at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw.