---
title: "Polish Defense Minister writes to the Ukrainian people: why the UPA has become a stumbling block"
description: "Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz sent a letter to the Ukrainian people, urging them to reconsider the decision to name a Ukrainian Armed Forces unit after the UPA. Warsaw considers this symbol to represent crimes against Poles and calls for finding heroes among modern defenders of Ukraine. ⚔️🇺🇦🇵🇱"
date: 2026-06-05T11:10:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/polish-defense-minister-ukraine-koziniak-kamysz-upa
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Polish Defense Minister writes to the Ukrainian people: why the UPA has become a stumbling block

![Polish Defense Minister Marek Juśkiewicz delivers a speech in front of the Polish coat of arms, discussing the complex historical issues related to UPA and relations between Poland and Ukraine](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/05/polsha-ukraina-kosinyak-kamysh-upa/polsha-ukraina-kosinyak-kamysh-upa-1.webp)

A diplomatic conflict between Warsaw and Kyiv, sparked by the Ukrainian leadership's decision to name a military unit after the UPA, has entered a new phase. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz sent an open letter to the Ukrainian people, urging them to reconsider this decision. He explained that for Poles, the UPA is not a neutral symbol of struggle, but a marker of the gravest historical trauma.

### Symbols of resistance and historical memory

In his address, the Polish Deputy Prime Minister attempted to find a balance between understanding Ukraine's need for heroes and the necessity of maintaining trust between allies. Kosiniak-Kamysz acknowledged that in the context of the war with Russia, Ukrainians need "symbols of resistance, courage, and unyielding spirit".

However, the Minister emphasized a fundamental difference in the perception of history: "For Poles, the UPA is not a neutral symbol of the struggle for freedom. For Poles, it is primarily a symbol of crimes committed against defenseless civilians".

The Polish politician called on Kyiv not to make figures who "wound Polish memory" and could destabilize relations between countries united by a common threat the patrons of state formations.

### Call for new heroes

Instead of turning to the complex pages of the past, the Defense Minister proposed that the Ukrainian authorities focus on the present. The letter contains a call to pay attention to modern warriors who are currently resisting Russian aggression.

"Today's Ukraine has its own heroes. It has warriors fighting under Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, in the Donbas, and defending the Ukrainian sky. It is they who are writing their own great page of history," emphasized Kosiniak-Kamysz.

At the same time, Warsaw officially stated that it does not demand Kyiv renounce its own history. However, the Polish side expects an understanding that there are symbols whose use objectively hinders the preservation of trust between states.

### Escalation of the conflict: from awards to flags

The trigger for Poland's sharp reaction was a decree by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dated May 26, which awarded the Separate Center for Special Operations "North" the title "named after the Heroes of the UPA". The decision was made in connection with the unit's high performance in combat tasks.

Warsaw's response followed immediately and was harsh:

- Polish President Karol Nawrocki stated that he does not rule out the possibility of depriving Zelenskyy of the country's highest state award.

- Polish society has voiced calls to block Ukraine's EU integration process due to the UPA decision.

- The authorities of the city of Lublin dismantled the Ukrainian flag from the city hall building, which had been hanging there since 2022 as a sign of support.

In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine explained that Kyiv did not intend to offend Polish society. The department noted that for Ukrainians, the UPA is primarily a symbol of the struggle against Russian imperial policy and occupation.