Zelensky Prepares Action Plan for Poland to Improve Ukraine’s Image

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has convened a meeting to outline diplomatic and historical steps regarding Poland as Kyiv seeks to repair its bilateral image and address ongoing tensions.

Diplomatic and Archival Steps

In mid-July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a meeting with his aides regarding policy toward Poland. The politician stated that key actions have been agreed upon, including diplomatic decisions and the opening of all archives of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine concerning the tragic events of the 20th century in Volhynia.

The president noted that decisions will be made to issue an additional, significant number of permits for search and exhumation work. Zelensky emphasized that everyone in Europe needs good-neighborly, equal, and mutually beneficial relations built on mutual respect, expressing gratitude for Poland’s clear support after the full-scale Russian invasion.

Strategy to Improve the Image in Poland

Ukrainians want to improve their image in Poland. “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” learned the details of Zelensky’s plans concerning Poland and the enhancement of Ukraine’s image.

According to DGP, Ukrainians aim to reach the sympathetic part of the Polish public through initiatives that broaden knowledge about the Russian threat and past Polish-Ukrainian alliances. Zelensky’s office proposes closer cooperation with business, experts, and media, while security services are tasked with finding evidence of Russian financing for anti-Ukrainian Polish circles.

DGP reports that Ukrainians also want to hire an external PR agency to warm up the country’s image, and the leadership of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry will be strengthened with individuals experienced in relations with Poland.

Crisis in Polish-Ukrainian Relations

In recent months, tensions have emerged in Polish-Ukrainian relations due to historical disputes, including the commemoration of the UPA and related figures. The dispute was sparked by the Ukrainian president’s late May decision to name a Ukrainian military unit after the Heroes of the UPA.

This decision drew criticism in Poland, including from Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On June 19, President KarolNawrocki announced his decision to strip Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, and the following day Zelensky sent the order back to Warsaw via courier.

According to Polish historians, in July 1943 the Ukrainian Insurgent Army carried out coordinated attacks on about 150 towns inhabited by Poles in Volhynia, culminating in crimes referred to in Poland as the Volhynian genocide. Researchers estimate that over 100,000 Poles were killed in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia between February 1943 and the spring of 1945, with members of Stepan Bandera’s Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists faction and the subordinate UPA recognized as the perpetrators.