Błaszczak Proposes “Ban on Banderysm” to Resolve Polish-Ukrainian Standoff

Former Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak argues that Poland must legally ban “Banderysm” and condition Ukraine’s EU accession on this policy to address the deepening diplomatic crisis between Warsaw and Kyiv.

Proposed Legislative Solutions

In a July 2 appearance on Polsat News, Mariusz Błaszczak outlined two steps to improve bilateral relations: a legislative ban on “Banderysm” submitted by PiS in 2024 and a clear stance that Ukraine cannot join the European Union while embracing such ideologies.

When questioned about the lack of such legislation during the previous eight years of PiS governance, Błaszczak maintained that the government had acted to support Ukrainian refugees in 2022 while working to shorten Poland’s border with Russia.

Critique of Current Government Policy

Błaszczak argued that the government of Donald Tusk has failed to respond to the escalating crisis, claiming the current administration is “not sovereign” and follows German interests rather than Polish ones.

He cited the 2023 grain embargo initiated by the PiS government as a proactive measure, asserting that had his party remained in power, the anti-Banderysm law would have been enacted.

Escalation Over Historical Symbols

The diplomatic rift widened after President Zelensky named a Ukrainian military unit after the UPA, a decision criticized in Poland. This led to the revocation of the Order of the White Eagle by the head of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, Karol Nawrocki, and the subsequent return of various state decorations by officials from both nations.

The UPA remains a central point of contention, as Polish historians view the 1943 Volhynia massacres perpetrated by the OUN-UPA as genocide. Conversely, many Ukrainian figures characterize these events as part of a broader mutual conflict or honor the UPA for its role in fighting for independence against the Soviet Union.