Polish president says Kyiv dispute about history, not politics

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has dismissed remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggesting that tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv over the glorification of Ukrainian nationalists are linked to Poland’s domestic political landscape.

Nawrocki rejected the assertion that the dispute is connected to internal political competition in Poland, including claims that he is seeking to become prime minister and challenge incumbent Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Polsat News reports.

“The dispute has absolutely nothing to do with Poland’s internal affairs,” Nawrocki said, arguing that Poles are well aware of the historical suffering caused by Ukrainian nationalist movements.

“All Poles know and understand the harm that Ukrainian nationalists inflicted on Poles and Polish children,” he stated.

Addressing the broader historical disagreement, the Polish president said the issue centers on differing interpretations of the past rather than contemporary political rivalries.

“This dispute is not rooted in Poland’s domestic politics. Every patriot understands the gravity of the crimes perpetrated by Ukrainian nationalists on Polish soil and the profound tragedy they inflicted. The disagreement concerns the interpretation of historical events and the fact that Poland does not accept the red-and-black banner associated with Bandera,” Nawrocki said. 

The president also emphasized the importance of national unity on matters of historical memory, saying he could not envision a situation in which Poland’s leadership would be divided on such issues.

“I cannot imagine a situation in which Polish patriots, especially the president and the government, would not be united and stand together,” he said.

“That is why Zelenskyy is wrong,” Nawrocki added.

By Vafa Guliyeva