Polish leaders 'outraged' after Zelensky's move

On May 29, Poland warned that the Ukrainian president's act of honoring a controversial force from World War II – accused of massacring Poles – risked damaging relations between the two countries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - Photo: AP

According to AFP, controversy erupted after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named a military unit after "heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA)".

Speaking to the media on May 29, Polish President Karol Nawrocki said he was "outraged" by the move and had proposed "revoking the Order of the White Eagle from President Zelensky".

Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the move "hurts our historical sensitivities" and "is worrying from the perspective of our relations."

Poland has been one of Ukraine's key allies in Europe since Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022.

However, during World War II, according to Warsaw, the UPA murdered approximately 100,000 Polish civilians in what is now western Ukraine, and Poland considers this an act of genocide.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian nationalists glorify the UPA for fighting for an independent Ukrainian state, despite the force's ties to Nazi Germany.

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict enters its fifth year, Ukraine is seeking to bolster national unity in the fight against Russia by honoring certain historical figures.

This week, Kyiv repatriated the remains of a leader from the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) – the organization that founded the UPA.

According to the newspaper Ukrainska Pravda , Zelensky recently awarded the honorary title "named after UPA heroes" to the Northern Independent Special Operations Center, part of the Special Operations Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The decree by the President of Ukraine states that this decision was made to restore the historical traditions of the national army, while also recognizing the unit's outstanding performance in fulfilling its assigned tasks in protecting the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine.

PEACE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lanh-dao-ba-lan-phan-no-sau-dong-thai-cua-ong-zelensky-20260529200702578.htm