Ukraine opposes the politicization of history and is ready to continue cooperation with Poland on exhumations — MFA
Ukraine is ready to continue granting permits for search and exhumation work for Poland and advocates that "historical debates" be left to historians, said Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson HeorHiy Tykhyi.
He made the statement at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday, as reported by an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent.
"We consider Poland our primary strategic ally, a friend. A country that came to our aid from the very first moments of the full-scale invasion. A country that opened its homes to Ukrainians. A country that has played a leading role in supporting Ukraine since 2022 — including logistics, weapons supplies, and everything else. We very much want this to continue," Tykhyi said.
He acknowledged that there is currently an escalation in the context of historical debates. At the same time, he noted that over the previous year and a half, enormous work had been done to reach an understanding even on the most difficult questions of the historical past.
In particular, a series of search and exhumation operations took place at the end of 2024.
"And right now, as we speak, another search operation is underway in Huta Penyatska in Lviv Oblast. This process — even against the backdrop of these very heated public discussions — continues. Moreover, I can say that the Ukrainian side is ready to continue granting permits and working," Tykhyi said.
According to him, this reflects Ukraine’s general approach to the historical dimension: historians should work with archives and documents.
"The historical dimension is not for politics. We very much want it to remain there, in the realm of historians," Tykhyi said.
The MFA added that "we are saddened to see this escalation."
Tykhyi is convinced that only Moscow takes pleasure in this situation.
"And our general appeal to Poland, to our allies and friends: let us look in the past for reasons to unite, wherever possible. And let us find grounds for a common struggle against our shared enemy, who wants to destroy both Ukraine and Poland — as has always been the case throughout history: whenever we were united, no one could take away our freedom or our security," the spokesperson said.
He added that the past holds many things. "If we look for reasons to divide, believe me, we will find them. If we look for reasons to unite and stand against a common enemy, we will find those too. We would like to focus on the latter," Tykhyi said.
As previously reported, at the end of May, President Volodymyr Zelensky granted the Special Operations Forces’ Separate Special Operations Center North the honorary designation "named after the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA)." The decision drew criticism in Poland, where the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) is associated with the Volhynia tragedy.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk appealed to both the Polish and Ukrainian presidents calling for de-escalation of tensions, stressing that the primary responsibility for resolving the crisis lies with the Ukrainian side.
"I appealed to both presidents to find a better way to de-escalate these emotions than exchanging blows. Frankly, I directed my appeal more toward the Ukrainian side, urging it to take the necessary initiatives and demonstrate both goodwill and ingenuity, since it was the Ukrainian president’s decision that led to this crisis. I have no doubt about that. And the role of presidents in such a situation is to find a good solution — not a perfect one, because there won’t be one," Tusk said.