Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Szybiga called on Tuesday for dialogue between Ukraine and Poland to help ease tensions after Kiev renamed a military unit after nationalists involved in mass killings of Poles during World War II, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has sparked outrage in Poland after signing a decree recognizing the contribution of a Ukrainian special forces unit in the ongoing military operations against Russia, naming it "Heroes of the UPA" (Ukrainian Insurgent Army, i.e. Ukrainian Insurgent Army - ed.).
Reuters points out that In addition to fighting against the Nazis and the forces of the then Soviet Union to win an independent Ukraine, the UPA participated in the Volhynia massacres - a series of mass killings between 1943 and 1945, in which Poland says about 100,000 Poles were killed.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Poland has been one of Kiev's most loyal allies, but the historical dispute has complicated relations between the neighbors, Reuters reports.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki said last week that he wanted a state body to discuss stripping Zelenski of Poland's highest honor over his decree.
"The escalation of tensions between Ukraine and Poland is not beneficial to either Ukrainians or Poles," Szybiga said on social media, writing the text on Polish.
"We are determined to discuss all issues, including the most difficult ones, in a spirit of mutual understanding and openness," he said, expressing gratitude to Poland for its leading role in supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian forces.
Szybiga called for calm, saying both sides should focus on countering the common enemy and strengthening European security.
"The threat from our historical enemy, Russia, once again hangs over all of us equally - Ukrainians, Poles and other Europeans. We cannot forget that the struggle between us will lead us to the edge of the abyss," he added.
The foreign minister added that the name of the military unit was chosen by Ukrainian soldiers who wanted to honor the memory of those who also fought against "imperial Moscow".
"I know for sure that our military had absolutely no anti-Polish intentions," Szybiga said.