A diplomatic storm that erupted between Kyiv and Warsaw has once again reminded us of how fragile an alliance can be, even between the closest partners, when it comes to painful pages of history. The trigger for this new wave of tension was the decision by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to bestow the honorary title "Named after the Heroes of the UPA" upon an elite unit of the Special Operations Forces (SOF).
A Conversation About the Past That Benefits Moscow
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine responded to the sharp protest from the Polish side with deep regret. Heorhiy Tykhyi, the official representative of the MFA, emphasized that this incident occurs despite the generally positive dynamic observed in relations between the two countries over the last year and a half. During this period, the parties managed to establish a constructive dialogue, resume the work of the Congress of Historians, and begin the process of exhuming the victims of the Volhynian tragedy.
The key message of Ukrainian diplomacy is formulated extremely clearly: any disputes about the past, fueled by politics, bring only one benefit—to Moscow. Tykhyi reminded that for Ukrainian UPA fighters, this is a symbol of resistance to imperial policy, not a tool of aggression against Poles. The initiative to rename the unit came from the military themselves, for whom it is a matter of honor and historical memory, not a desire to offend a friendly people.
A Complex History: From Orsha to Volhynia
The Ukrainian side is not trying to silence the tragic pages of their shared history. In an MFA comment, they acknowledge that in the past, Ukrainians and Poles committed crimes against civilians, but at the same time, they emphasize the glorious joint victories over a common enemy—from the Battle of Orsha to the "Miracle on the Vistula".
Kyiv emphasizes its readiness for professional dialogue without politicization. Ukraine does not shy away from discussing crimes but insists that the current war with Russia should not be undermined by historical grievances. Warsaw, in turn, expressed its protest to the Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar, calling the decision painful. The situation escalated to the point where Polish President Karol Nawrocki declared his intention to initiate the revocation of the highest Polish award from Zelenskyy.
A Stress Test for Strategic Partnership
Currently, Ukraine is in a critical phase of resisting Russian aggression, and Polish support remains a factor of survival. Kyiv is grateful for the assistance provided from the first minutes of the war and is ready to share experience gained on the battlefield. However, this diplomatic crisis poses a difficult question for both sides: how to maintain strategic unity in the face of an external threat without ignoring sensitive historical wounds that have not yet healed.