Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
A historical dispute delayed the shipment of weapons from Warsaw.
Poland has paused the transfer of a large military aid package to Ukraine. The reason was the Lviv regional council’s decision to declare 2027 a year of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), its commander Roman Shukhevych, and the head of the Revolutionary Tribunal of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), Oleh Olzhych. This was reported by the outlet RBC-Ukraine.
The vote in the Lviv regional council regarding the UPA, Shukhevych, and Olzhych took place just as the Polish side was preparing to send a large package of military assistance to Ukraine. A source for the outlet criticized the deputies’ actions and linked them to the suspension of deliveries. Efforts are currently underway to resolve the problem.
“Because of their irresponsible actions, the delivery of this package is now suspended. Active work is being done through closed channels to resolve a problem that was created out of thin air,” the outlet’s interlocutor said.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that this step causes irritation among Poles. At the same time, he sees the main problem in the consequences for Ukraine itself. The prime minister also warned of risks to Kyiv’s European integration. He believes opponents of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union could exploit such decisions. The historical dispute gives them additional arguments to criticize the Ukrainian side. Tusk urged Ukrainian partners to avoid similar situations. He called any politics that leads to such disputes “a suicidal tactic.”
“This is unwise, it harms Ukraine. It annoys us; we do not understand it. Above all, it contradicts Ukraine’s interests. I have spoken about this before with President Zelenskyy, even though he is not responsible for this, and I warned him that any such gesture greatly complicates the work of Ukraine’s friends,” emphasized Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Recall that the Lviv regional council’s decision to declare a year of Roman Shukhevych, Oleh Olzhych, and the UPA was also criticized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The ministry called it counterproductive for the development of relations with Poland. According to the MFA, before the vote the deputies did not consult the ministry or other central government bodies to assess possible consequences. Diplomats stressed that local decisions should not harm Ukraine’s security or its European integration. At the same time, they urged the Polish side to refrain from harsh steps that could impede the normalization of relations. The ministry confirmed its readiness to resolve problematic issues through diplomatic channels.
In addition, disputes between Kyiv and Warsaw were earlier sparked by the law “On the Ukrainian National Pantheon,” signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The document allows honoring, among others, leaders of the UPA, the Ukrainian Galician Army, and the “Carpathian Sich.” Zelenskyy emphasized that national heroes should be defined only by Ukrainians. Head of the Chancellery of the Polish President Zbigniew Bogucki called possible honoring of OUN and UPA figures unacceptable for Warsaw. Servant of the People deputy Mykyta Poturaiev said that no final list has been made yet but did not rule out the possibility of including Stepan Bandera.
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