Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on Polish and Ukrainian leaders Karol Nawrocki and Volodymyr Zelenskyy to hold talks regarding the situation that arose following the scandal over naming one of the units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
The head of the Polish government wrote about this on X (Twitter) on Monday, June 8.
Tusk acknowledged that traditional diplomacy had failed to yield results and resolve the conflict that had arisen between Warsaw and Kyiv.
"Since diplomacy has yielded no results, I am turning publicly to Presidents Karol Nawrocki and Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a direct and honest conversation. Before emotions destroy our solidarity, which was born in the face of the Russian threat," Tusk wrote.
He emphasized that cooperation is in the interests of both Poland and Ukraine. At the same time, the conflict plays into the hands of the aggressor country, russia, which is undoubtedly obvious to everyone.
Scandal over naming a unit of the Ukrainian Defense Forces after the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
The scandal between Ukraine and Poland began as soon as President Zelenskyy signed a decree on May 26, awarding the Separate Special Operations Center "North" of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine the honorary designation “in the name of the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.”
This decision provoked a sharp reaction from Warsaw. In particular, Nawrocki proposed stripping Zelenskyy of the country’s highest award—the Order of the White Eagle—in response to the Ukrainian leader’s decision.
And Prime Minister Tusk stated that Zelenskyy’s decision to bestow the name “in honor of the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army” offends Poland’s historical sensibilities.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz suggested that Ukraine reconsider the decision and honor the memory of Ukrainian soldiers in another way.
Meanwhile, prominent Polish public figures, journalists, artists, and former members of the democratic opposition issued a statement highlighting the complex history of mutual grievances between Poles and Ukrainians, many of which remain painful and not fully understood. At the same time, the authors caution against using historical themes to stoke hostility between the two nations.
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