---
title: "Warsaw Threatens Kyiv with Deterioration of EU Relations Over Possible Inclusion of Bandera and Shukhevych in the National Pantheon"
description: "Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki stated that the inclusion of Bandera and Shukhevych in Ukraine's National Pantheon would \"significantly worsen\" Kyiv's relations not only with Warsaw but with Europe as a whole, calling it a threat to European integration."
date: 2026-08-24T08:52:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/warsaw-threatens-kyiv-over-bandera-and-shukhevych-in-national-pantheon
tags: [poland-ukraine, national-pantheon, eu-integration, bandera, shukhevych, diplomacy, upr, konowalec]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Warsaw Threatens Kyiv with Deterioration of EU Relations Over Possible Inclusion of Bandera and Shukhevych in the National Pantheon

![Polish government official at a press conference with EU flags in the background — Warsaw's reaction to the possible inclusion of Bandera and Shukhevych in Ukraine's National Pantheon](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/24/varshava-prigrozila-kievu-iz-za-bandery-i-shukhevicha-v-natspanteone/varshava-prigrozila-kievu-iz-za-bandery-i-shukhevicha-v-natspanteone-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki warned that the inclusion of Bandera and Shukhevych in Ukraine's National Pantheon would worsen Kyiv's relations with Poland and the EU
- Bosacki called the UPA's activities in 1943–1944 its "darkest period" and mentioned victims among Poles, Ukrainians, Czechs, Jews, and Roma
- The office of Polish President Karol Nawrocki earlier called the initiative to create the pantheon "actions of an escalatory nature"
- Bosacki referred to the reburial of Konovalent, noting the absence of EU diplomats at the event and calling it a "Polish diplomatic gesture"

Marcin Bosacki, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, issued a sharp warning to Kyiv, stating that the inclusion of Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych in Ukraine's National Pantheon could become a serious obstacle to the country's European integration. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a publication by the Polish TV channel RMF 24. The statement came against the backdrop of ongoing discussions in Ukrainian society about creating a single list of national heroes and which historical figures deserve a place in the pantheon.

### "Every People Chooses Its Heroes" — But with Caveats

In his speech, Bosacki formally acknowledged the sovereign right of each country to determine whom it considers national heroes. "Every people and its authorities have the right to choose the heroes they deem appropriate," emphasized the deputy head of the Polish Foreign Ministry. However, immediately after this caveat, he moved on to the substance of the warning: the appearance in the National Pantheon of historical figures whom Poland holds responsible for mass crimes against the civilian population would "significantly worsen Ukraine's relations not only with Poland but with Europe as a whole." Thus, Warsaw has effectively framed the pantheon issue in terms of bilateral and multilateral relations, taking it beyond the confines of an exclusively internal Ukrainian discourse.

### Reference to the "Dark Period" of the UPA and Victims Among Various Peoples

A particular sharpness to Bosacki's statement is added by his characterization of the UPA's activities. According to the deputy minister, under the banners of those who, in his words, "killed — incidentally, not only Poles but also some Ukrainians, as well as Czechs, Jews, and Roma," that is, "the founders of the UPA during its darkest period of activity, in 1943–1944," Ukraine "will have enormous problems with integration into Europe." This rhetoric underscores that the Polish side intends to rely not only on the memory of victims among Poles but also on a broader list of affected peoples, which, by Warsaw's design, makes the argumentation less vulnerable to criticism within Ukrainian society.

### The Reburial of Konovalent as a "Polish Diplomatic Gesture"

As an illustration of how, in Bosacki's view, European diplomacy reacts to such steps, the deputy minister mentioned the recent reburial of Yevhen Konovalent. He noted that "there were almost no representatives of the diplomatic missions of EU countries" at the event and called it a "Polish diplomatic gesture." Thus, Warsaw positions its non-participation in ceremonies associated with figures it considers criminals as a deliberate diplomatic stance, rather than a lack of interest in the event.

### Reaction from the Office of the President of Poland and the Context of Escalation

Earlier, the office of Polish President Karol Nawrocki also criticized Volodymyr Zelenskyy's initiative to create the National Pantheon of Ukraine, calling it "actions of an escalatory nature." In Warsaw, this initiative was linked to the preceding decision to name one of the military units after the "heroes of the UPA," which, according to the Polish side's assessment, demonstrates the systemic character of Ukrainian memory politics regarding figures associated with the OUN and UPA. The totality of these statements indicates that the pantheon issue is becoming one of the key points of friction in Polish-Ukrainian relations against the backdrop of Kyiv's ongoing process of integration into European structures.

### Contradictory Data

No significant discrepancies in dates, figures, or key formulations of Bosacki's statement were found in the provided sources. All four verified sources (RBC-Ukraine, TSN, ZN.UA, Gazeta.Ru) convey the essence of the warning in a consistent manner: it concerns the possible deterioration of relations with Poland and the EU in the event that Bandera and Shukhevych are included in the pantheon. The differences concern only the style of presentation and the volume of quotes, but not the factual component. The only nuance: the main text mentions the "office of Polish President Karol Nawrocki," which corresponds to the current status of the head of state as of August 2026, and no contradictions with other sources on this point were found.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Polish Foreign Ministry Names the Condition That Could "Complicate" Ukraine's Path to the EU](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/mzs-polshchi-nazvali-umovu-ka-mozhe-uskladniti-1787561354.html) - Подтверждает заявление Босацкого о возможном ухудшении отношений с ЕС при включении Бандеры и Шухевича в пантеон. Передаёт цитату через RMF 24.
- ["Ukraine Will Have an Enormous Problem": Poland Threatens Kyiv Over Bandera and Shukhevych](https://tsn.ua/ru/ukrayina/u-ukrainy-budet-ogromnaya-problema-v-polshe-prigrozili-kievu-iz-za-bandery-i-shuhevicha-3154430.html) - Подтверждает ключевую фразу «огромные проблемы с интеграцией в Европу» и контекст заявления. Совпадает с основным текстом по содержанию.
- [Warsaw Promises Kyiv Serious Problems Over the Appearance of Bandera and Shukhevych in the National Pantheon](https://zn.ua/POLITICS/varshava-obeshchaet-kievu-sereznye-problemy-iz-za-pojavlenija-bandery-i-shukhevicha-v-natsionalnom-panteone.html) - Подтверждает суть предупреждения и упоминает реакцию канцелярии президента Польши. Нет расхождений с другими источниками.
- [Polish Foreign Ministry Predicts Deterioration of Ukraine's Relations with the EU Over Bandera](https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/news/2026/08/24/29164231.shtml) - Подтверждает общий нарратив о предупреждении со стороны польского МИД. Датирует событие 24.08.2026, что совпадает с актуальной датой.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Who issued the warning to Ukraine?
**A:** Marcin Bosacki, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland. His words were transmitted by the Polish TV channel RMF 24 and then published by Ukrainian media outlets.

### Q: What exactly could happen if Bandera and Shukhevych are included in the National Pantheon?
**A:** According to Bosacki, this would "significantly worsen Ukraine's relations not only with Poland but with Europe as a whole" and create "enormous problems with integration into Europe."

### Q: Does Poland recognize Ukraine's right to choose its national heroes?
**A:** Formally, yes. Bosacki stated: "Every people and its authorities have the right to choose the heroes they deem appropriate." However, he immediately added that figures whom Poland holds responsible for mass crimes could affect relations with European states.

### Q: What did the office of the President of Poland say on this issue?
**A:** The office of President Karol Nawrocki earlier criticized the initiative to create the National Pantheon of Ukraine, calling it "actions of an escalatory nature" and linking it to the decision to name a military unit after the "heroes of the UPA."

### Q: How did Bosacki comment on the reburial of Yevhen Konovalent?
**A:** He noted that there were almost no representatives of the diplomatic missions of EU countries at the event, and called it a "Polish diplomatic gesture," that is, a deliberate diplomatic move.