Commemorative Ceremonies Across Poland
A commemorative ceremony took place on Saturday in Warsaw, Poland's capital, as well as in other cities nationwide.
Polish PM Announces National Memorial
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared the establishment of a national memorial dedicated to the victims of what he described as a "genocide committed by Ukrainian nationalists" during World War Two.
Tusk's remarks coincided with the anniversary of the event Poland refers to as the "massacre" in Volyn, a region that was part of German-occupied Poland during the war and is now located in Ukraine. According to Warsaw, approximately 100,000 ethnic Poles were killed by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) between 1943 and 1945.
Historical Disputes Between Warsaw and Kyiv
The tragic events have long been a source of tension between Warsaw and Kyiv. Thousands of ethnic Ukrainians were also killed by Poles during this period.
In Ukraine, many regard the UPA as heroes who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Soviet army, Nazi Germany, and Polish authorities.
Diplomatic Tensions Over UPA Recognition
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was stripped of Poland's highest state honour following his decision to name a Ukrainian military unit after the UPA, escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two nations.
Statements from Polish Leadership
During his address on Saturday, Tusk stated:
"Truth is our duty toward the victims, but also a way to overcome a painful past for the sake of a better future.
Memory cannot be the servant of hatred. The answer to nationalism cannot be more nationalism,"
he added, urging Ukraine to "embrace this truth" if it aspires to join the European Union.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki emphasized the necessity of his actions but reassured that the dispute would not affect Poland's support for Ukraine amid its ongoing defense against the full-scale Russian invasion initiated in 2022.
Ukrainian Response
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized Warsaw's decision, labeling it a "strategic mistake." Subsequently, three former Ukrainian presidents returned their White Eagle awards to Poland in solidarity with President Zelensky.
Zelensky's Video Address
In a video message delivered late Saturday, Zelensky noted:
"Representatives of the Ukrainian state took part in joint prayers with representatives of the Polish state"
in both countries to honor the victims of the Volyn killings.
"Ukraine is doing its part to honestly establish the facts about those killed in those years.
We must not forget that now... Ukraine and Poland have one common threat, and this is a mortal threat to our independence, to our states, to every city, to every village, and this threat is called Russia,"
the Ukrainian president affirmed.
