Ukraine-Poland row over UPA: MFA issues statement

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed regret over Poland's sharp reaction to a Ukrainian military unit being named after UPA heroes. The ministry assured that Ukrainian service members intended no offense to the Polish people.

MFA spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi stated this in a comment to journalists, TSN.ua reports.

Poland-Ukraine row: MFA position

The diplomat noted that Warsaw's reaction runs counter to the positive development of bilateral relations over the past 1.5 years. During this period, the countries began resuming search and exhumation operations at burial sites and established a Congress of Historians to resolve complex issues.

"Discussions about the past must be professional and based on reliable sources. Our history proves that only Moscow benefits from disputes between Ukrainians and Poles," he noted.

Heorhii Tykhyi explained the motivation of the Ukrainian service members currently defending all of Europe from Russian aggression, emphasizing the specific meaning they attach to historical symbols.

"In initiating the honorary title for their unit, our warriors absolutely did not intend to offend the friendly Polish people. For them, the UPA's struggle symbolizes solely resistance to Moscow's imperial policies and is by no means directed against Poles," he said.

The Foreign Ministry reminded that the history of Ukraine and Poland contains various chapters. During World War II, tragedies and crimes against civilians occurred on both sides. At the same time, Ukrainians and Poles share examples of successful joint struggles against Moscow, such as the Battle of Orsha, the "Miracle on the Vistula," or the joint insurgent attack on the Soviet NKVD in Hrubieszów.

Heorhii Tykhyi assured that Ukraine responds constructively to Polish exhumation requests and remains ready to continue building dialogue without unnecessary emotion.

"We cannot allow quarrels over the past to undermine our resistance to a common enemy now, when Ukraine, with Poland's support, is deterring Russian aggression. We are grateful to Poland and the Polish people, who have supported Ukraine since the first minutes of this unprovoked and criminal war," the MFA spokesman concluded.