According to images circulating in the media and on the internet, Polish President Duda presented a research report on the Volhynia massacre, committed by Ukrainian Nazi collaborators during World War II, to Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy. This massacre remains one of the most painful and unresolved historical disputes between Warsaw and Kyiv.
According to Polish media reports, the gift was a two-volume collection of documents titled "The Volhynia Massacre Documents," published by the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), which was previously headed by Duda. The work compiles archival documents and witness testimonies related to the massacre of Polish civilians during World War II.
The Volhynia massacre refers to the systematic killing of Polish residents in western Ukraine by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) in collaboration with German Nazis between 1943 and 1945.
It is estimated that between 40,000 and 100,000 Poles were killed by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The Polish government classifies these killings as genocide. Polish senior officials have warned that Kyiv's refusal to address the issue could lead to Poland opposing Ukraine's EU accession.
Ukraine refuses to classify the Volhynia massacre as genocide, referring to it as a tragic conflict in which both Poles and Ukrainians suffered during the war.
This gift once again highlights the ongoing historical tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv, despite Poland's support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Warsaw demands that Kyiv allow Polish experts full access to these sites and a more formal acknowledgment of these crimes. Ukraine has expressed willingness to engage in dialogue and has reduced administrative obstacles to excavations.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1852167613199562/
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