Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to resolve a dispute over renaming a military unit after WWII insurgents who massacred Poles. EU Enlargement Chief Marta Kos stated the issue has been resolved at the working level.
The dispute threatens to damage the strong relationship between Poland and Ukraine, a vital supporter of Kyiv amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, at a crucial time for Ukraine's EU accession efforts.
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has appealed for direct and honest conversations between Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to de-escalate a diplomatic row. The dispute arose after Ukraine renamed a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a nationalist group responsible for the massacre of tens of thousands of Poles during World War Two. This decision has strained relations between Warsaw and Kyiv, a key supporter of Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, at a critical time when Ukraine seeks to bolster support for its European Union accession.
A Polish advisory body convened to consider a proposal to strip President Zelenskiy of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honor, which was awarded to him in 2023. President Nawrocki's spokesperson indicated that the President would make a decision at an appropriate time. Prime Minister Tusk, a political opponent of Nawrocki, publicly urged the two presidents to engage in direct dialogue before emotions damage the solidarity between the two nations, emphasizing that cooperation serves their mutual interests while conflict benefits Moscow.
Public sentiment in Poland towards Ukraine has reportedly become more negative, influenced by weariness over the influx of refugees, ongoing disputes concerning grain imports, and the unresolved historical grievances related to the World War Two massacres. While some Ukrainians view the UPA as heroes for their resistance against Soviet and Nazi forces, the UPA's involvement in the Volhynia massacres, where an estimated 100,000 Poles were killed, remains a deeply sensitive issue. Ukrainian officials have stated that the unit's name was chosen by soldiers to honor the UPA's fight against Moscow, with no intent to offend Poland.
EU Enlargement Chief Marta Kos stated that Poland's concerns regarding Ukraine's EU talks have been resolved at the working level, remarking to journalists in Kyiv on June 8 that the issue was "solved at the working level."