Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has criticized the decision by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to name a unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the UPA (Ukrainian Insurgent Army).
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing the Wirtualna Polska portal, the minister characterized this move as a "tragic mistake."
Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that the official decision by Kyiv has caused significant dissatisfaction and pain within Polish society. He emphasized that issues related to historical memory should not create tensions between allies, describing such actions as unacceptable.
Despite these historical disagreements, the minister clarified that these differences do not constitute a reason for Warsaw to cease its support for Ukraine. Poland has been one of Kyiv's staunchest allies since the beginning of the full-scale conflict in 2022, providing extensive military and humanitarian aid.
It is noted that Kosiniak-Kamysz has previously commented on Ukraine's integration into the European Union. He has stated that Ukraine cannot join the EU while promoting symbols associated with Stepan Bandera. In the minister's view, Ukraine cannot build its European identity on historical events and figures that are considered contrary to European values.
The UPA remains a highly controversial subject in Polish-Ukrainian relations due to the Volhynia massacres during World War II, where UPA forces were responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Polish civilians. This historical dispute continues to be a sensitive point in diplomatic discourse between the two neighboring nations.
