Michal Kaminski, deputy speaker of the Polish Senate, is returning two Ukrainian state awards due to ongoing historical disputes, specifically concerning the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and the Volyn massacres. This action follows President Zelensky's naming of a military unit after the UPA, which has sparked condemnation and reciprocal actions between Polish and Ukrainian officials.
This escalating dispute over historical grievances threatens to strain relations between Poland and Ukraine at a critical time, potentially impacting their unified stance against external threats and their ongoing cooperation.
Michal Kaminski, the deputy speaker of the Polish Senate, announced on June 22 that he is returning two Ukrainian state awards. The decision stems from a deepening dispute over wartime historical grievances, particularly concerning the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and the 1943-1945 Volyn massacres. Kaminski stated his action was a response to statements and actions by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which he noted were supported by former Ukrainian presidents and the majority of the Ukrainian political class.
The latest controversy erupted after President Zelensky named a military unit after the UPA, an organization that fought for Ukrainian independence but is primarily remembered in Poland for its role in the mass killings of Poles during World War II. This move drew widespread condemnation in Poland, leading Polish President Karol Nawrocki to strip Zelensky of the Order of White Eagle, Poland's highest state award. In response, several Ukrainian former and current officials returned their Polish state awards.
Kaminski, a member of the Union of European Democrats party, explained that he accepted the decorations for his contributions to Ukraine's EU accession efforts. However, he now feels he cannot retain them as Ukraine's authorities have not unequivocally condemned the perpetrators of the Volyn massacres. This dispute represents one of the most serious crises between Poland and Ukraine in years, highlighting diverging perspectives on the UPA's legacy. While Ukraine emphasizes the UPA's resistance against Moscow, Poland focuses on its role in the massacres of Polish citizens. The conflict is occurring a year before Polish parliamentary elections, with the current government facing challenges from conservative and far-right parties.
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