After years of tension, Poland and Ukraine have reached an agreement to exhume the remains of Polish victims killed by Ukrainian nationalists during World War II. The agreement, announced during a meeting between Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, marks a significant step towards addressing a deeply sensitive historical issue.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Warsaw on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, to officially announce an agreement on a long-standing point of contention between the two nations: the exhumation of Polish victims of World War II-era massacres by Ukrainian nationalists. This agreement marks a significant step forward in addressing a deeply sensitive issue that has strained relations between Poland and Ukraine for decades.
Zelenskyy's visit to Poland came just days after Tusk announced progress on starting the exhumations. For nearly three years, the issue of Polish victims buried in mass graves in Ukrainian soil since they were brutally killed during the war has fueled a persistent bitterness among many Poles. Tusk, who has been in power for over a year, faces domestic pressure to demonstrate progress on this matter, which remains a significant concern for many citizens in Poland. This issue holds particular weight as Tusk's party is preparing for upcoming elections. As a pro-EU centrist, Tusk has been actively working to cultivate an inclusive form of patriotism, aiming to prevent nationalist conservatives from positioning themselves as the primary defenders of Poland's interests. The events in question date back to 1943-44, when Europe was engulfed in war. Ukrainian nationalists carried out massacres, killing an estimated 100,000 Poles in Volhynia and other regions that were then part of eastern Poland, which was under Nazi German occupation and are now within Ukraine's borders. Entire villages were razed to the ground, and their inhabitants were murdered by these nationalists and their collaborators who sought to establish an independent Ukrainian state. Poland recognizes these events as a genocide and has persistently requested Ukraine's permission to exhume the victims and provide them with proper burials.The issue is particularly delicate for Ukraine because some of the World War II-era Ukrainian nationalists are revered today as national heroes for their struggle to achieve Ukrainian independence. However, Ukraine also faces its own pressure to act, as it requires continued Polish support in its ongoing war that has lasted nearly three years. Poland is a member of the European Union, a 27-member bloc that Ukraine aspires to join, and Warsaw holds significant influence to elevate this issue on the agenda for the next six months. The breakthrough signifies a hopeful step towards reconciliation and acknowledging the past
Poland Ukraine WW2 Massacres Exhumation International Relations History
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