Polish defence minister says Ukraine will face serious problems over EU bid

Ukraine would face serious obstacles to joining the EU if it continued to use the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) as national symbols, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has stated.

Speaking to Polsat News, Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland will not support Ukraine's accession to the European Union unless Kyiv stops honouring certain historical figures, Caliber.Az reports.

"We should not put on a pedestal those who undermine European cooperation. Ukraine will not join the European Union with Bandera. No one will tell us how to vote on the accession of any country to the European Union," he noted.

Kosiniak-Kamysz also agreed with the interviewer's suggestion that there are political forces in Kyiv that do not want Ukraine to join the EU.

He added that every country seeking EU membership must meet strict requirements, including those related to historical memory.

According to the minister, cooperation within the bloc cannot be built on honouring individuals or movements that cause pain, provoke rejection and spread falsehoods about neighbouring member states.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov