---
title: "Jarosław Kaczyński Calls on Poland to Block Ukraine's EU Accession: 'Cannot Have Genocidaires on Flags'"
description: "Jarosław Kaczyński called on Poland to block Ukraine's EU accession, stating that the country cannot be a \"normal European state\" with the symbolism of \"genocidaires\" on its flags. The leader of PiS emphasized that this is his personal opinion but confirmed his commitment to supporting Ukraine in the war. Relations between the countries have deteriorated due to the UPA symbol and the scandal involving the Order of the White Eagle. 🇵🇱🇺🇦🚫"
date: 2026-06-26T11:28:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kaczynski-calls-on-poland-to-block-ukraines-eu-accession
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Jarosław Kaczyński Calls on Poland to Block Ukraine's EU Accession: 'Cannot Have Genocidaires on Flags'

![Jarosław Kaczyński during a speech calling for blocking Ukraine's accession to the EU](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/26/kachynsky-prizval-blokirovat-vstuplenie-ukrainy-v-es/kachynsky-prizval-blokirovat-vstuplenie-ukrainy-v-es-1.webp)

A new wave of debate has erupted in Polish politics regarding relations with Ukraine. The leader of the Law and Justice party (PiS), Jarosław Kaczyński, made a sharp statement calling on Warsaw to block new rounds of negotiations regarding Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

### Personal Opinion or Party Strategy?

"Poland must begin blocking the next rounds of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union," Kaczyński stated. However, the politician clarified that his words carry no legal weight and reflect exclusively his personal position, not the official line of the PiS party. Since the party bodies have not adopted corresponding resolutions, experts, notably the Financial Times, note that these statements will not yet have a direct impact on Ukraine's integration process.

At the same time, Kaczyński assured that his position does not mean a refusal to support Kyiv. He emphasized that he would continue to facilitate Ukraine's victory in the war with Russia, calling it a strategic interest for Poland.

### "A Normal European State"

The main argument of the PiS leader concerns historical memory and symbolism. According to him, Ukraine cannot claim the status of an EU member if its flags bear symbols associated with genocide.

"But Ukraine must know: if it wants to join Europe, and the EU is a European organization, then it must be a normal European state and cannot have genocidaires on its flags, and very cruel genocidaires at that," the press quotes Kaczyński.

In addition to the Ukrainian issue, the politician reminded of the unresolved issue of reparations from Germany, stating that Warsaw has not forgotten this debt.

### Causes of the Escalation of Relations

The conflict between Kyiv and Warsaw has deep roots, but the latest escalation began after the decision by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to bestow an honorary name upon one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units in honor of the Heroes of the UPA. This provoked a stormy reaction in Poland, where the activities of the UPA are viewed through the prism of tragedies such as the Volhynian massacre.

The response to this move was a diplomatic protest by the President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who stripped Zelenskyy of the country's highest state award—the Order of the White Eagle. In response, the Ukrainian leader returned the award to Warsaw via the "Nova Poshta" delivery service. The Polish side perceived this act as an insult and a display of disrespect.

An additional factor in the tension was the absence of Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference held in Gdańsk. Instead of him, Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko spoke in Poland. The head of the Polish government, Donald Tusk, interpreted the Ukrainian president's decision as a "gesture of de-escalation of tension," however, the level of distrust between the countries remains high.