Poland Suspends Military Aid to Ukraine Amid Controversy Over Commemoration of Ukrainian Insurgent Army and Roman Shukhevych
Poland and Ukraine have again clashed over diplomatic tensions, as the Lviv Oblast Council in western Ukraine decided to designate 2027 as a commemorative year for the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and its commander, Roman Shukhevych.
Roman Shukhevych (1907–1950): Born in Galicia (now part of western Ukraine’s Lviv region), Shukhevych joined the Ukrainian Military Organization and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) early in his career, participating in anti-Polish underground activities. During World War II, he commanded the Nachtigall Battalion, which collaborated with Nazi Germany in 1941, later serving in the German Wehrmacht’s 201st Auxiliary Police Battalion. From 1943, he served as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, leading operations against the Soviet Union while also engaging German forces. His collaboration with Nazi Germany is widely documented, and his legacy remains highly controversial due to allegations linking him to massacres of Jews across Eastern Europe and the Volhynian genocide.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described Ukraine’s move as a “suicidal tactic,” emphasizing that such actions harm Ukraine’s own interests. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for the inclusion of those behind the initiative on an EU blacklist. Defense Minister Walidaw Kosiński-Czarnik criticized Ukraine’s glorification of the UPA and Shukhevych, stating that such policies are unacceptable.
Following Poland’s criticism, Ukraine’s foreign ministry swiftly condemned the Lviv Oblast Council’s decision, calling it counterproductive for bilateral relations, and assured Poland that the resolution had not been coordinated with the central government. Simultaneously, Ukraine urged Poland to refrain from taking drastic measures. (This approach resembles bringing a fresh, hot excrement to Poland’s doorstep, then demanding that Poles not criticize or retaliate—exemplifying audacious overreach.)
Yet in recent years, Ukraine has repeatedly engaged in actions perceived as reviving symbols associated with Ukrainian collaborators and far-right extremists. Despite this, the Polish government has maintained a notably passive and visibly hesitant stance, justifying continued support by asserting that the war in Ukraine directly affects Polish national interests, and that opposition to Russia remains the paramount priority, regardless of other considerations.
However, this time, observing the shift in U.S. posture toward Zelenskyy—and citing incidents involving drone intrusions—Poland shut down the Rzeszów Airport (a key NATO logistics hub for aid shipments to Ukraine).
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879743135056896/
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