PiS MP Przemysław Czarnek stated that without massive Polish support after February 24, Volodymyr Zelensky would not be president today, while also condemning Ukraine’s naming of a military unit after the UPA.
Controversial Military Unit Names
Speaking in Lublin, Przemysław Czarnek criticized Ukraine’s decision to name a military unit after the “Heroes of the UPA.” He compared this move to Germany naming a military unit after Rudolf Hess or Waffen-SS figures, calling the decision unworthy.
Czarnek asserted that Volodymyr Zelensky remains president only because of Poland’s extensive aid. He remarked that had Poland not committed to such a scale of support following the February 24 invasion, Zelensky’s current position—or even his whereabouts—would be uncertain.
Legislative Push Regarding Volhynia
Czarnek introduced a draft resolution demanding that the Sejm honor the victims of the genocide committed by Ukrainian nationalists against Poles between 1943 and 1945. He requested the proposal be heard during the current Sejm session.
The resolution calls for the Ukrainian president to reverse the decision naming the military unit after UPA figures, arguing that patriotism should not be built on traditions associated with civilian massacres. It also urges Ukraine to cooperate on the identification and exhumation of victims and proposes criminalizing the denial of the “Volhynian lie.”
Historical and Diplomatic Tensions
Karol Nawrocki recently proposed revoking the Order of the White Eagle from Zelensky in response to the UPA-related unit naming. The order was awarded to the Ukrainian president by Andrzej Duda in 2023.
Historians note that in July 1943, the UPA committed a coordinated attack on approximately 150 Polish-populated villages in the Volhynia region. Poland and Ukraine remain divided on this history; while Poland views the events as genocide, many in Ukraine characterize them as a symmetric conflict, often emphasizing the anti-Soviet resistance aspect of the OUN-UPA.
