---
title: "Tusk Says Zelenskyy Gave a 'Signal' Over Lviv Regional Council's UPA Year Decision"
description: "Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised not to support the Lviv Regional Council's decision to declare 2027 the UPA year."
date: 2026-10-23T09:53:03.424Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/tusk-says-zelenskyy-signal-lviv-council-upa-year
tags: [poland, ukraine, donald-tusk, volodymyr-zelenskyy, upa, lviv-regional-council, historical-memory]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Tusk Says Zelenskyy Gave a 'Signal' Over Lviv Regional Council's UPA Year Decision

![Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk speaking at a press conference against the background of the European Union flag](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/23/tusk-zajavil-o-nedovolstve-zelenskogo-resheniem-lvovskogo-oblsoveta/tusk-zajavil-o-nedovolstve-zelenskogo-resheniem-lvovskogo-oblsoveta-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Donald Tusk announced a signal from Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding the Lviv Regional Council's decision.
- The Lviv Regional Council declared 2027 the "Year of the UPA, Roman Shukhevych, and Oleh Olzhych" on October 20.
- The Polish Prime Minister warned of risks to Ukraine's European integration if Warsaw's historical sensitivities are ignored.
- The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also criticized the regional council's initiative, calling it counterproductive.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told journalists during his visit to India that he received a clear signal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicating that he will not support the Lviv Regional Council's decision to declare 2027 the "Year of the UPA." According to the head of the Polish government, the Ukrainian leader expressed extreme dissatisfaction with this initiative and promised not to back its further promotion at the state level.

### Warsaw's Stance and Reaction to the Regional Council Decision

The Lviv Regional Council's decision, adopted on October 20, drew sharp criticism in Poland, where the actions of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army are associated with the mass killings of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia. Donald Tusk described this step as unwise and unnecessary, suggesting the initiative might have been a planned provocation by local nationalists. Meanwhile, the Polish Foreign Ministry also called the decision counterproductive, and Warsaw began preparations to declare the author of the initiative, regional council deputy Svyatoslav Sheremeta, persona non grata.

### Impact of Historical Disputes on Ukraine's European Integration

During the press conference, the Polish prime minister emphasized that any attempts to justify the events of the Volhynia tragedy or the figure of Roman Shukhevych are unacceptable to the Polish side. Tusk directly warned that Ukraine will face serious obstacles on its path to European Union integration if it fails to respect Warsaw's historical sensitivities. The prime minister noted that he spent many hours discussing this topic with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and counts on the Ukrainian leadership's understanding of the entire complexity of the issue.

### Significance of the Incident for Bilateral Relations

This diplomatic incident demonstrates the fragility of the historical dialogue between Warsaw and Kyiv even amid large-scale strategic support for Ukraine from Poland. Disputes surrounding the interpretation of complex pages of a shared past continue to be a powerful irritant capable of affecting interstate relations and the negotiation process regarding Ukraine's accession to the European community. The reaction of the top leadership of both countries shows a desire to prevent the escalation of conflict due to initiatives by regional politicians, yet the deep-rooted problem of historical memory requires systematic and delicate resolution.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Туск получил от Зеленского "сигнал" о решении Львовского облсовета о годе УПА](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/tusk-otrimav-vid-zelenskogo-signal-shchodo-1792748024.html) - The article covers Donald Tusk's statements in India regarding his conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the Lviv Regional Council decision.

## FAQ

### How did Volodymyr Zelenskyy react to the Lviv Regional Council's decision?

According to Donald Tusk, the Ukrainian president expressed extreme dissatisfaction and promised not to support further steps regarding declaring 2027 the "Year of the UPA."

### Why did the Lviv Regional Council's decision cause a scandal in Poland?

In Poland, the UPA is held responsible for the mass killings of Poles in Volhynia, which is why Warsaw perceived this decision as a painful and provocative step.

### How could this affect Ukraine's European integration?

Donald Tusk stated that Ukraine will face serious difficulties on its path to the European Union if it does not respect Poland's historical sensitivities.