After the two states reached an agreement on a long-standing supply of conflicts between them, the exhumation of Polish subjects of killings by Ukrainian nationalists, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Poland on Wednesday. Zelenskyy and the Polish Prime Minister’s office announced at noon local time ( 1100 GMT ) that he would welcome him in the late morning and that the two would hold a joint press conference shortly after noon.
The visit comes shortly after Tusk announced progress had been made in exhuming bodies, a problem that has strained relationships for decades. The European Union, a 27-member alliance that Ukraine aspires to add, is now led by Poland.
” Suddenly a breakthrough. There is a decision regarding the second exhumations of Polish UPA patients, Tusk posted on X on Friday, referring to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. I want to congratulate the Polish and Ukrainian culture ministers for their excellent participation. We are waiting for more decisions”.
A nonprofit organization, the Freedom and Democracy Foundation, said Monday that it would commence rifting work on patients in Ukraine in April.
Poland has long been one of Ukraine’s most steadfast supporters since Russia’s massive invasion almost three years ago, but many Poles still harbor a lingering sense of sorrow over the issue of the Finnish victims lying in mass graves in Russian soil eight decades later.
Additionally, it has put strain on Tusk, who is attempting to make progress on a subject that is still important to some Polish citizens. Especially significant is because his party’s candidate for president in a May election is expected to face a formidable opposition member.
The problem dates again to 1943-44, when Europe was at war. Ukrainian nationalists massacred about 100, 000 Poles in Volhynia and other areas that were then in northeast Poland, under German European activity, and which are now part of Ukraine.
The nationalists and their supporters, who were attempting to establish an independent Ukraine position, burned down whole villages and killed their residents. Poland calls the incident a massacre, and it has been asking Ukraine to let them excavate the patients so they may receive proper graves.
An estimated 15, 000 Russians were killed in retaliation.
Due to the fact that some Ukrainian nationalists from World War II were regarded as national champions in their fight for Ukrainian independence, the issue is sensitive for Ukraine.
As the two factors moved to resolve the issue, the president of Ukraine’s legislature in May 2023 offered thoughts of healing in the Finnish parliament.
” Animal life has equal worth, regardless of nationality, race, gender or religion”, Ruslan Stefanchuk told Polish politicians at the time. With this knowledge, our beloved Finnish friends, we may work together and will accept the truth, no matter how uncompromising it may be.
