Key facts
- A dispute over the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and the 1943 Volyn massacre has strained Polish-Ukrainian relations.
- Poland's President Karol Nawrocki stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of a Polish state award over the issue.
- The UPA is remembered in Ukraine for fighting Soviet rule, while its role in the massacre of Poles and Jews is often minimized.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated Ukraine must confront its history to join the EU.
- Ukrainians report facing humiliating treatment at Polish border crossings.
- Jewish groups have expressed concerns about Ukraine's veneration of UPA figures linked to the Holocaust.
The strong bond of solidarity between Poland and Ukraine, forged in the aftermath of Russia's February 2022 invasion, is now severely tested by a bitter historical dispute centered on the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and its role in the 1943 Volyn massacre.
This historical episode, where an UPA branch was responsible for the deaths of approximately 100,000 Poles, has long been a point of contention. The latest conflict was ignited when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy decided to name a military unit after "heroes of the UPA," despite Polish objections. While Ukraine largely remembers the UPA for its fight against Soviet rule, downplaying or contextualizing its involvement in the massacre, Poland views the killings as genocide.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki has taken a hard line, criticizing the honoring of "genocide" and recently stripping Zelenskyy of a Polish state award. This action prompted Ukrainian officials to return their own Polish decorations, with Zelenskyy's chief of staff stating Ukraine would not be dictated on whom to honor. Some analysts suggest Zelenskyy may be leveraging nationalist sentiment for domestic support, potentially misjudging the strength of Poland's reaction.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has also emphasized the need for Ukraine to confront its past, suggesting it must do so before joining the European Union. Tusk announced the creation of a "wall of memory" to commemorate the Volhynia massacre victims. This public rift highlights underlying tensions, including Polish resentment towards Ukrainian refugees and Ukrainian feelings of humiliation at border crossings.
Concerns have also been raised by Jewish groups regarding the veneration of certain UPA figures who were complicit in the Holocaust, with historical figures like Stepan Bandera, a leader of a UPA wing, being honored in Ukraine.