Kaczyński Replies to Ukrainian Ambassador: “My Stance Has Not Changed”

Following controversial remarks by PiS prime ministerial candidate Przemysław Czarnek regarding Ukraine’s path to EU integration and historical policies, party leader Jarosław Kaczyński issued a clarifying statement on social media.

The Controversy Over Czarnek’s Remarks

The exchange between the Law and Justice (PiS) leader and the Ukrainian diplomat followed comments made by Przemysław Czarnek on TV Republika. Czarnek suggested that, if he were prime minister, he would force Ukraine to radically alter its course toward Poland, including through potential resolutions opposing Ukraine’s European Union membership.

Czarnek explicitly stated that there is no place in Europe for a Ukraine that glorifies what he termed “Banderite ideology,” which he equated to German Nazism. He argued that Ukraine could be forced into changing its stance through various diplomatic and political pressures.

Kaczyński’s Official Party Stance

On Tuesday afternoon, Jarosław Kaczyński issued a statement on X clarifying that PiS remains committed to the necessity of military aid for Ukraine, calling it essential for Polish state interests and national security. He noted that the party leadership would address the nature of Czarnek’s recent comments.

Ukrainian diplomat Vasyl Bodnar responded to the post, expressing gratitude to Kaczyński for his support of Ukraine. In his subsequent reply, the PiS leader emphasized his desire to see Russia defeated in the war, while simultaneously reaffirming his opposition to “Banderism” and the glorification of historical figures associated with the UPA.

Historical Tensions and Diplomatic Friction

The debate coincides with the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide committed by Ukrainian nationalists against citizens of the Second Polish Republic, observed annually on July 11 to mark the 1943 Volhynia massacres. The role of the OUN and UPA remains a significant source of friction in bilateral relations.

Tensions have been further exacerbated in recent months by disputes over historical memory, particularly following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision in late May to name a Ukrainian military unit after “Heroes of the UPA.”