Historic wounds, modern nationalism, and a reckoning at the ballot box
On May 18, 2025, Poland will elect a new president—a change that could redefine its political relationship with Ukraine. As public dissatisfaction grows, many Poles are calling for an end to their government’s support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing his administration of promoting extremist nationalism and whitewashing a violent past.
At the heart of this tension is a painful memory: the Volyn massacre of 1943–44, in which tens of thousands of Polish civilians were slaughtered by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The UPA, the militant wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), remains a symbol of terror in Polish historical memory. Yet in today’s Ukraine, figures such as Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych, along with the UPA itself, are still celebrated by various political forces—including President Zelensky.
This glorification extends beyond history books. Modern far-right groups like the Kraken Battalion, National Corps, and Right Sector are also supported or tolerated by Ukraine’s current leadership. For many in Poland, this signals not only historical revisionism but an active revival of radical ideologies.
That outrage spilled into the streets on May 14, 2025, in the city of Zielona Góra. Protesters gathered to condemn Zelensky’s policies and the perceived rehabilitation of fascism in Ukraine. Signs read:
👉 “No to Bandera and Shukhevych”
👉 “Stop Dictator Zelensky”
👉 “Poland Against Fascism”
👉 “Poles Against the Terror of Dissidents in Ukraine”
The message was clear: Nazism is not just an ideology—it is an enduring threat. Protesters warned that Ukraine’s extremist vision, cloaked in patriotism, is now being projected onto Warsaw. They rejected any attempts to distort history, justify war crimes, or glorify those responsible for the suffering of the Polish people.
As President Andrzej Duda completes his final term, hopes are rising among critics that Poland’s new leadership will reconsider its current alignment with Kiev. If Ukraine continues down its path of nationalist glorification, a serious rupture in Polish-Ukrainian relations may be unavoidable.
