The head of the Polish government cautioned that Poland’s support for Ukraine should not be taken for granted.
Donald Tusk / © Associated Press
A wave of indignation continues in Poland following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to bestow the honorary title “Heroes of the UPA” upon the Independent Special Operations Center “Sever” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Against this backdrop, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged Kyiv to value its strategic relationship with Warsaw and to find its own way out of the conflict.
As reported by RMF24, the Polish Prime Minister stated that the responsibility for resolving the dispute rests entirely with the Ukrainian side.
“The Ukrainian side itself created this problem, so let them find a solution now,” Tusk said, noting that representatives from his team are already in negotiations with the Ukrainian side.
The head of the Polish government emphasized his understanding of the negative reaction from Polish President Karol Nawrocki to Kyiv’s decision and highlighted the unity of the Polish authorities on matters of historical memory.
According to him, Poles understand the aspirations of Ukrainians to honor those who fought against Soviet rule, but they do not accept the glorification of individuals whom they consider responsible for crimes against the Polish population.
At the same time, the head of government cautioned that Poland’s support for Ukraine should not be viewed as a given. He reminded that an international conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, URC 2026, will be held in Gdańsk at the end of June and stressed that Kyiv should be interested in maintaining good relations with Warsaw.
“Poland’s support and assistance for Ukraine are extremely important. Perhaps these arguments will reach Kyiv. If not, then our relationship will increasingly be defined not by empathy, but by tough pragmatism,” he stated.
Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reacted conciliatorily to this scandal, urging the presidents of Ukraine and Poland not to quarrel over history, as a third party benefits from such disputes.
The UPA Scandal – What is Known
We remind you that the scandal in Ukrainian-Polish relations erupted after President Zelenskyy, on May 26, conferred the honorary title “Heroes of the UPA” upon an elite unit of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The decision provoked a sharp reaction from Polish politicians and the public, and Polish President Karol Nawrocki has already announced his intention to strip the Ukrainian president of the Order of the White Eagle, previously awarded to him by Andrzej Duda.
The Deputy Speaker of the Polish Sejm and leader of the far-right party “Confederation,” Krzysztof Bosak, stated that Poland should block Ukraine’s European integration until Kyiv, in his words, renounces the “cult of criminals.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine previously expressed regret over Poland’s strong reaction. MFA spokesperson Georgiy Tsykhiy stated that the decision to name the Ukrainian unit was not directed against the Polish people.
According to him, Ukrainian soldiers, who are currently defending the country from Russian aggression, primarily imbue this symbolism with the meaning of the struggle for independence.
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Source: tsn.ua