Poland to Honor WWII Genocide Victims, Stoking Ukraine Tensions

Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on the anniversary of the Volyn massacres that Poland will establish a national memorial for victims of a genocide carried out by Ukrainian nationalists during World War II. He framed the move as a duty to the victims and a path toward a better future.

Tusk cited the Volyn killings, where, according to Polish estimates, roughly 100,000 ethnic Poles were murdered by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) between 1943 and 1945. The UPA, which fought both Soviet and German forces, is viewed by many Ukrainians as freedom fighters.

Ukraine has long disputed the Polish narrative, holding that the UPA also killed thousands of ethnic Ukrainians. The announcement has reignited a bilateral spat that already included President Zelensky’s recent removal of a Polish state honour for naming an army unit after the UPA.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki said the row would not impact Poland’s support for Ukraine, which is still fighting a full‑scale Russian invasion that began in 2022. The Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, called the memorial “a strategic mistake” and urged Poland to embrace the truth before pursuing EU membership ambitions.

Three former Ukrainian presidents returned their Polish White Eagle awards in solidarity with Zelensky, responding to the heightened tensions between the two neighbours.

In a video address, Zelensky said that representatives from both countries participated in joint prayers in Warsaw to commemorate the Volyn victims, emphasizing that “the current common threat is Russia” and that honest establishment of historical facts is essential for future cooperation.