Polish charge d'affaires holds conversation with Ukraine's deputy foreign minister

Polish Foreign Ministry State Secretary Marcin Bosacki, during a conversation with Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar on May 28, expressed "deep dissatisfaction" with the decision to grant an elite unit of the Special Operations Forces the title "Heroes of UPA" (the Ukrainian Insurgent Army).

According to the Polish Foreign Ministry, this position was also expressed on May 29 by Polish charge d'affaires in Kyiv Piotr Lukasiewicz during a conversation with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Mischenko.

"Deep dissatisfaction with this decision was expressed on May 28 by State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Marcin Bosacki in a conversation with the Ukrainian ambassador to Poland, and on May 29 by Piotr Lukasiewicz in a conversation with Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Mischenko," the statement reads.

The ministry said "given Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and the threat to the security of the entire region, Polish-Ukrainian relations, which are of crucial importance for our states and peoples, should not become hostage to difficult history."

"Common security, solidarity in the face of Russian aggression and responsibility for the future of Europe require maturity and commitment to dialogue from both sides," the statement reads.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy granted the honorary name "Heroes of UPA" to the Separate Special Operations Center "North" (Pivnich) of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In Poland, Zelenskyy's decision to name the unit after the Heroes of UPA caused outrage. Polish President Karol Nawrocki said that by naming a Ukrainian unit after the Heroes of UPA, the Ukrainian president "provided Russian propaganda with the best material."

Nawrocki also proposed that "one of the points should be depriving President Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle."