Warsaw, July 4, 2026 – The Europe Today: Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said Poland is awaiting a clear and unequivocal signal from Ukraine to help ease recent diplomatic tensions stemming from historical memory issues, despite what he described as encouraging messages from Ukrainian officials.
Speaking at a press conference in Kleczew, Tusk addressed the ongoing dispute over Ukraine’s decision to name a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a move that has drawn criticism in Poland due to the group’s controversial role during World War II.
Tusk revealed that he had received several messages from current and former Ukrainian officials, including a personal letter from former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, urging both countries to prevent historical disagreements from undermining their future cooperation.
“The former President of Ukraine appealed to me in a sincere letter, asking that we work together on our shared past and ensure it does not determine the future, because if the past guides us, the future will not be simple,” Tusk said.
While welcoming these gestures, the Polish prime minister stressed that Warsaw expects the Ukrainian government to take the first concrete step toward de-escalation following what he described as an unsuccessful decision by President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the military unit’s designation.
“We expect the first step from Ukraine. It would be good to hear a very clear signal from Kyiv. They are making efforts, but we would still like to hear it clearly and confidently,” Tusk said.
The remarks came after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met his Polish counterpart, Radosław Sikorski, in Warsaw on Friday, where he presented an “anti-crisis” package aimed at stabilizing bilateral relations.
During the talks, Sybiha assured Polish officials that the military unit’s designation was not intended to convey any anti-Polish message and reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to continuing permits for search and exhumation operations related to historical sites on Ukrainian territory.
According to reports, the proposed roadmap for improving ties includes immediate consultations between government ministers, the convening of historians who participated in the May Polish-Ukrainian Congress to address contentious historical issues, and joint engagement with religious leaders to promote dialogue and reconciliation.
The diplomatic tensions have emerged alongside warnings from Ukrainian security officials that Russia is attempting to exploit historical disagreements between the two neighbouring countries.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council, said Russian intelligence services are preparing an information campaign aimed at damaging Ukrainian-Polish relations.
Kovalenko alleged that the operation is being directed by Alexander Bortnikov, Director of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), and warned that fabricated materials related to the World War II-era Volhynia tragedy are expected to be circulated on July 5 through Russian state media in an effort to inflame tensions and deepen divisions between Ukraine and Poland.
