Poland Threatens to Block Ukraine's EU Integration Unless Kyiv Abandons Honoring of OUN and UPA

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said in the program "Gość Wydarzeń" on Polsat News that Ukraine will face significant problems with EU integration if it continues to use the OUN and UPA as national symbols. He stressed that Poland will take a firm stance and demand that Ukraine cease honoring leaders of the Ukrainian nationalist movement.

Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that every country joining the EU must meet strict requirements, including regarding historical memory. In his view, it is unacceptable to build European cooperation on respect for figures or movements that cause pain, rejection, or spread falsehoods about neighboring EU member states.

"With Bandera, Ukraine will not join the European Union," Kosiniak-Kamysz stated. He also added that Poland will independently decide on the enlargement of the bloc and no one will dictate to it how to vote on this issue.

This statement follows the June 19 decision by Polish President Karol Nawrocki to revoke Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Order of the White Eagle due to the naming of a Ukrainian unit after UPA heroes. Nawrocki declared that Poland would not allow entry into the EU for those who do not understand the need to abandon the "cult of totalitarianism and violence." Several current and former Ukrainian officials announced they would return their Polish awards. Polish opposition leader Jarosław Kaczyński called for blocking new rounds of negotiations in Ukraine's EU accession process.

On June 28, Ukraine's Constitution Day, President Zelenskyy submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law on the Ukrainian National Pantheon, aimed at honoring distinguished Ukrainians. "No one will ever dictate how we live, how we speak, whom we love, whom we are grateful to, and which heroes we honor," Zelenskyy emphasized.