Polish Presidential Candidate Questions Ukraine's EU and NATO Aspirations
Karol Nawrocki, a candidate for the Polish presidency, has stated that Ukraine's aspirations for membership in the European Union and NATO are contingent upon its acknowledgment and responsibility for historical atrocities. Specifically, he referred to the Volhynia massacres, during which Ukrainian nationalists are believed to have killed between 40,000 and 120,000 ethnic Poles from 1943 to 1945.
This dark chapter in history, marked by violence perpetrated by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) against Polish civilians, has long strained relations between Poland and Ukraine. The Polish government officially recognizes these events as genocide, complicating diplomatic ties.
In a recent interview, Nawrocki expressed alignment with the sentiments of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who suggested that Ukraine should not have been offered NATO membership. The presidential hopeful underscored that Ukraine must resolve significant civilizational issues before being considered for inclusion in major international alliances.
Nawrocki, who also heads Poland's Institute of National Remembrance, has been vocal about the need for Ukraine to allow for the exhumation and respectful burial of Polish victims of the UPA. He argues that honoring the memory of these victims is crucial for reconciliation and reflects shared values within Europe.
He emphasized the importance of accountability, stating that a nation unable to confront its past crimes against its neighbors cannot participate in international coalitions. Recent commitments between Polish and Ukrainian officials aimed to facilitate the exhumation of Polish victims have met skepticism from Nawrocki, who noted that past agreements have yielded little progress.
The Ukrainian government has faced scrutiny for its hesitance to permit the exhumation of victims from this tragic period, as well as for honoring certain UPA figures as national heroes, despite their involvement in violent acts. This has raised further concerns among Polish officials and citizens.
Overall, Nawrocki's statements highlight a significant hurdle in Ukraine's aspirations for deeper integration with Western institutions, emphasizing the need for historical reconciliation as a prerequisite for future cooperation.
