Polish Foreign Ministry: Glorifying UPA Leaders Could Block Ukraine's Path to Europe

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki issued an official warning to Kyiv, noting that plans to honor the memory of UPA leaders in Ukraine’s National Pantheon could create serious obstacles to the country’s European integration process. Such actions are causing concern not only in Poland but also in a number of other European countries, according to RMF 24.

The discussion was sparked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s signing of a law establishing the National Pantheon. The head of state had previously stated that the pantheon would be the final resting place for those who fought for the country’s independence and emphasized Ukraine’s exclusive right to independently decide matters of historical memory. However, Marcin Bosacki warned that glorifying individuals involved in mass crimes against the civilian population during the period of 1943–1944 would inevitably lead to diplomatic isolation.

According to the Polish diplomat, the inclusion of figures such as Stepan Bandera or Roman Shukhevych in the pantheon would “significantly worsen” Ukraine’s relations with its international partners. Bosatsky noted that the absence of representatives from European diplomatic missions at recent events in Kyiv was a direct consequence of the European community’s rejection of the policy of glorifying the founders of the UPA. The article also notes that Warsaw’s position on this issue was previously supported by the European Parliament, which condemned the glorification of these historical figures.

As a reminder, Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously signed a law establishing the National Pantheon in Kyiv, which will serve as a key memorial complex to honor the memory of the country’s outstanding statesmen and historical figures. The legislation establishes the site’s status as a non-denominational space intended for state protocol events.