Relations between Warsaw and Kyiv have entered a period of renewed diplomatic friction over historical memory. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has placed full responsibility on Ukraine for the growing tension sparked by the decision to name a Ukrainian special forces unit after the “Heroes of UPA.” As reported by the Polish news outlet RMF24, Tusk made these remarks following the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tivat, Montenegro. According to the Polish leader, the conflict over historical interpretations is “completely unnecessary,” and the burden of resolving it lies solely with Kyiv, which initiated the problematic move.
The controversy erupted after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree in late May granting the honorary title of “Heroes of UPA” to the Special Operations Center “North.” This move provoked a fierce backlash in Poland. Tusk stated that while he understands the Ukrainian desire to honor those who fought against the Soviet regime, Poland cannot accept the glorification of figures associated with historical atrocities against Poles, whom he described as Ukraine’s “closest allies.”
The fallout from the decision has quickly reverberated across Poland’s political spectrum. Proposals have emerged to strip President Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle, while in Lublin, the Ukrainian flag was removed from the city hall. Adding to the tension, former Polish Ambassador to Ukraine Jan Pieklo returned his Ukrainian Order of Merit in protest.
To de-escalate the situation, behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts have already begun. Polish officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki, have reportedly engaged in direct talks with the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, to find a compromise regarding the unit’s name.
However, Tusk warned that if diplomatic reasoning and reminders of Poland’s massive military support fail to resolve the issue, a pragmatic and “hard business” approach could begin to dominate bilateral relations. He pointed to the upcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2026) in Gdansk as a critical platform where future cooperation could be affected. While Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the naming was the choice of the soldiers themselves and carried no anti-Polish sentiment, Warsaw expects concrete corrective steps from Kyiv to preserve the strategic partnership.