Polish premier urges talks with Zelenskyy over WWII unit naming row

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Monday publicly appealed for direct talks between President Karol Nawrocki and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to defuse tensions over Kyiv's decision to name a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a nationalist force responsible for massacring tens of thousands of ethnic Poles during World War II. Tusk warned that escalating emotions risk destroying the solidarity born in the face of Russian aggression, stating that cooperation serves both states while conflict benefits Moscow. The prime minister issued the appeal on social media platform X, urging "a direct and sincere conversation" before bilateral ties deteriorate.

Zelenskyy decree sparks backlash

The diplomatic crisis erupted after Zelenskyy signed a decree on May 26 granting a special operations unit the honorary title of "Heroes of the UPA," which collaborated with Nazi Germany and carried out systematic massacres of Polish civilians during the 1940s. Zelenskyy described the move as restoring historical traditions of Ukraine's military forces, but the decision triggered outrage across Poland's political spectrum. President Nawrocki announced plans to seek the revocation of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest distinction, awarded to Zelenskyy following Russia's 2022 invasion.

Historical context

The UPA remains a deeply divisive symbol in bilateral relations, with historians estimating its ethnic cleansing operations killed up to 100,000 Polish civilians between 1942 and 1947. Warsaw and Kyiv established a historical dialogue commission in recent years to address mutual grievances, though progress has stalled repeatedly over disputes concerning wartime atrocities. The Polish foreign ministry has yet to issue a formal diplomatic note regarding the unit designation, though bilateral defense consultations scheduled for next month remain on the calendar.