Polish-Ukrainian solidarity over Russian threat undermined by bitter historical dispute

Marchers in Warsaw commemorate the 1943 Volyn massacre, in which the Ukrainian Insurgent Army killed about 100,000 Poles. Photograph: Marek Antoni Iwańczuk/NurPhoto/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen Marchers in Warsaw commemorate the 1943 Volyn massacre, in which the Ukrainian Insurgent Army killed about 100,000 Poles. Photograph: Marek Antoni Iwańczuk/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Polish-Ukrainian solidarity over Russian threat undermined by bitter historical dispute Kyiv’s decision to honour second world war fighters who killed about 100,000 Poles has revived simmering tensions I n the aftermath of Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022, Polish-Ukrainian solidarity emerged as one of the most heartwarming subplots of the Kremlin’s brutal war. Millions of Poles, remembering their country’s own tragic history with Russia, mobilised to help Ukrainian refugees with food, shelter and support as they crossed the border in huge numbers to flee the conflict. Four years later, that outpouring of generosity and solidarity is a distant memory, as the two countries find themselves locked in a bitter dispute over history that has led to angry rhetoric, mutual mud-slinging and a threat from Poland to block Ukraine’s EU accession until it gets its historical house in order. The dispute revolves around the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), one branch of which was responsible for the massacre of about 100,000 Poles in 1943 in Volyn, western Ukraine, then a part of Poland called Volhynia. The episode has long been a sticking point between Warsaw and Kyiv, but the spark for the latest conflict came when the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy , decided to name a military unit after “heroes of the UPA” despite Polish protests. In Ukraine, the UPA is mainly remembered for its fight against Soviet rule, while its involvement in the massacre of Poles and Jews is minimised, or portrayed as one episode in a catalogue of crimes by different forces during the bloody chaos of the second world war. Some Ukrainians also point to the historical context of discriminatory policies against their forebears by Polish authorities. However, there is little doubt the killings took place, and in Poland they have been called a genocide. “Praising genocide or turning a blind eye is an invitation to commit further genocide,” said Poland’s nationalist president, Karol Nawrocki , in a speech marking the anniversary of the massacres on Saturday, close to the border with Ukraine. View image in fullscreen The Polish president, Karol Nawrocki, speaks at an event in Radruz, Poland, on Saturday to mark the 83rd anniversary of the Volhynia massacre. Photograph: Darek Delmanowicz/EPA In June, Nawrocki stripped Zelenskyy of a Polish state award due to the dispute. This led to a spate of Ukrainian officials returning their own Polish decorations, and an angry response from Ukraine’s political elite. “No one will ever again dictate to Ukrainians which heroes to honour, which holidays to celebrate