Amid rising tensions between Kyiv and Warsaw over a historical controversy, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will not be present at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Poland. Instead, the Ukrainian delegation will be led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko at the gathering in Gdańsk, Poland. The conference’s focus is to rally international backing and investments for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction efforts.
The discord stems from Zelenskyy’s authorization to name a Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). While many Ukrainians view the UPA as a symbol of their fight for independence, in Poland, the group is associated with the deaths of thousands of Poles during World War II. This decision drew criticism from Polish officials, including President Karol Nawrocki, who accused Ukraine of disregarding historical grievances.
Despite the strong collaboration between the two nations since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this disagreement has strained their relations. Zelenskyy defended his decision by stating that military units should be able to choose names that reflect Ukrainian history. He cautioned that political disputes could jeopardize the critical cooperation between Ukraine and Poland, particularly amid ongoing security threats.
In response to the rising tensions, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for both nations to ease the disagreements, emphasizing that such issues should not damage the strategic partnership between them. European officials also expressed concern, warning that deteriorating relations between Ukraine and Poland might play into Russia’s hands, and stressed the importance of maintaining collaboration between the neighboring allies.