The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church called the deterioration of relations between Poland and Ukraine "the result of Moscow's actions"

Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, issued a statement in which he described the current escalation in relations between Poland and Ukraine as the result of a large-scale “ideological special operation” by Russia. In his view, the rhetoric of Polish politicians making claims against the Ukrainian side largely echoes the narratives used during the Soviet era.

In an interview with for a joint project of “Zhyve TV” and the “Kontakt” TV channel, Shevchuk acknowledged that the situation in bilateral relations has become “quite critical.” He noted a growing sense of fatigue in Polish society, which has taken in about a million refugees, but emphasized that the current ideological disagreements are being artificially stoked by Moscow.

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church criticized Poland’s current political elite, describing its members as Euroskeptics. According to him, a new generation of Polish politicians is moving away from the legacy of John Paul II, which is contributing to a rise in aggressive rhetoric. At the same time, Shevchuk added that the grievances are mutual: both sides bear historical wounds and harbor mutual resentments, which requires a cautious approach to dialogue.

It is worth noting that tensions in relations between the countries have previously manifested in a number of landmark events. In particular, as the source points out, the Polish president previously revoked an order awarded to Volodymyr Zelenskyy in protest against Ukraine’s policy of glorifying the UPA.