Defense Ministry spokesman Janusz Sejmej told PAP that recent Ukrainian media reports about an alleged halt to Polish military aid for Ukraine are untrue. He added that recent decisions by Ukrainian authorities are negatively affecting Polish-Ukrainian relations.
The Ukrainian news sites RBK-Ukraina and Evropeiska Pravda reported Wednesday evening that Poland had halted a package of military aid for Ukraine over the Lviv Regional Council’s decision to declare 2027 the year of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and its commander, Roman Shukhevych.
Both outlets presented an identically worded quote, saying they had obtained it from a single anonymous source. RBK-Ukraina described it as an “informed source,” while Evropeiska Pravda called it a “source in the Ukrainian government.” “Because of their (the Lviv authorities’ – PAP) irresponsible actions, deliveries under this package have been suspended,” the sites wrote, citing the source. The informant added that intensive efforts are under way through confidential channels to resolve the “artificially created” problem.
Asked about the reports by PAP on Thursday, Defense Ministry spokesman Janusz Sejmej replied: “It is not true.”
He stressed at the same time that recent decisions by Ukrainian authorities, including Tuesday’s decision by the Lviv Regional Council, “negatively affect Polish-Ukrainian relations.”
Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk, speaking Thursday on the WP news portal’s “Tłit” program, said he wanted to unequivocally deny the Ukrainian reports. As quoted by WP, the deputy defense minister said that “Poland, as it has until now, helps Ukraine and will keep helping Ukraine, because it is also in Poland’s national interest.”
On Tuesday, the Lviv Regional Council declared 2027 the year of the UPA, Shukhevych and Oleh Olzhych, an activist of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN).
The resolution drew criticism from Polish officials, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski signed a request to add Sviatoslav Sheremeta, the Lviv regional councilor who initiated the idea of declaring 2027 the year of Roman Shukhevych, to the list of people who are undesirable in Poland. On Wednesday afternoon, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said Sheremeta had been entered into the register of undesirable persons, banning him from entering and staying in Schengen Area countries until Oct. 20, 2031.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the Lviv Regional Council’s decision on sensitive historical issues in relations with Poland has the opposite effect from the one intended by efforts to reach an understanding.
Iryna Vereshchuk, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, appealed Wednesday to members of the Lviv Regional Council to refrain from decisions that could harm relations with Poland. She stressed that only Russia benefits from such tensions.
The Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), including Shukhevych, one of its leaders, remains one of the most contentious topics in Polish-Ukrainian relations. According to Polish historians, in July 1943 UPA units carried out coordinated attacks on about 150 localities inhabited by Poles in Volhynia, which became the culmination of the crimes referred to in Poland as the Volhynia genocide. Those held responsible are members of the Stepan Bandera faction of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the UPA subordinate to it. Poland recognizes the crimes committed against the Polish population as genocide, while many Ukrainian historians and politicians interpret them as part of a broader Polish-Ukrainian conflict for which both sides bore responsibility.
In late May, by decision of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, one military unit was given the name “Heroes of the UPA,” which led to worsening relations between Kyiv and Warsaw. (PAP)
