Zelenski: 'No one can dictate our heroes to us' Dispute with Poland continues

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski stated that no one can interfere with which heroes his country will honor. This statement came amid an ongoing diplomatic crisis with Poland. In his speech on Ukrainian Constitution Day, Zelenski emphasized that no one can dictate to Ukrainians how they will live, how they will speak, who they will love, or which heroes they will honor. Additionally, he announced that he had submitted a draft law called the Ukrainian National Pantheon to the parliament. This pantheon will bring together the names of all heroes who fought for Ukraine and inspired Ukraine across different centuries and periods.

Zelenski's words were interpreted as a reference to a dispute with Poland. The dispute began when Zelenski named a military unit after the heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The UPA was a group that fought for Ukraine's independence during World War II, but at the same time, it was responsible for the Volhynia massacres targeting Polish civilians. While in Poland the UPA is remembered for the massacres in which around 100,000 ethnic Polish civilians were killed, in Ukraine it is seen as a symbol of the independence struggle against Soviet rule.

In response to Zelenski's decision, Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Zelenski of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest decoration, keeping his earlier promise. This move sparked outrage in Ukraine, and Zelenski canceled his plans to attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference hosted by Poland. The diplomatic tension between the two countries is shaping up around the clash of historical narratives and national identity issues.

While Zelenski's speech emphasized Ukraine's independence struggle, it caused relations with Poland to tense further. Polish political figures criticized Zelenski's stance, stating that it could hinder Ukraine's EU accession negotiations. On the other hand, the Ukrainian side argues that honoring historical figures is an internal matter and that Poland has no right to speak on this issue.

This dispute lays bare the complex historical ties and current political dynamics between the two countries. While Ukraine needs Poland's support in its war against Russia, Poland also supports Ukraine's EU integration. However, historical wounds continue to strain the relations between the two countries. Although Zelenski's new pantheon initiative is seen as an effort to embrace Ukraine's national heroes, it could further deepen the tension with Poland.