On July 8, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Ukraine's progress towards EU membership. The document was supported by 460 MEPs, 136 voted against, and 59 abstained. At the same time, MEPs criticized the decision on the Ukrainian Armed Forces unit named after the "UPA [Ukrainian Insurgent Army – ed.] Heroes", stating that it negatively affects Ukrainian-Polish relations.
This was reported by the European Parliament's press service.
How the European Parliament assessed Ukraine's reforms
In the resolution, the MEPs welcomed the opening of the first cluster of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union. They also noted that even in the conditions of a full-scale war, Ukraine continues to strengthen democratic institutions.
The document separately mentioned progress in judicial reform and the fight against corruption. According to the MEPs, these changes are crucial for the transparent post-war reconstruction of the country and attracting international investment.
What the European Parliament said about the unit "named after the Heroes of the UPA"
At the same time, in the resolution, the European Parliament expressed regret over, as stated in the document, "ignoring Polish sensitive issues and grief." This is about the decision to name one of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in honor of the "Heroes of the UPA".
The document states that such a decision "undermines neighborly relations". The European Parliament called on the parties to reduce tensions and renew efforts for reconciliation.
What the European Parliament said about the elections in Ukraine
A separate section of the resolution concerns the holding of elections in Ukraine. MEPs stressed that they should take place only after the lifting of martial law.
The parliament also rejected calls from the US administration to hold elections during the war, noting that democratic procedures must take into account the security situation in the country.
Relations between Ukraine and Poland have worsened after Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced in June that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be stripped of the Order of the White Eagle due to his decision to name an AFU unit after the "Heroes of the UPA".
The AFU's separate special operations center "North", which was recently awarded the honorary title "after the Heroes of the UPA", has a rich combat history, dating back to the first days of russian aggression in 2014.
The text of the explanatory note to the draft Decree of the President of Ukraine "On assigning an honorary name to the Separate Special Operations Center "North" of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" signed by the Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov notes that when preparing the initiative to assign the name of the center "after the Heroes of the UPA", economic and environmental risks were calculated, but there is no mention of interaction with the Ukrainian diplomatic corps.
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