Unprecise topic
Andrij Sybiha was asked about the Volyn massacre during the safety Forum in Warsaw. The subject of genocide in Volyn and the exhumation of the victims of the Ukrainian CNS-UPA came after the statements of representatives of the Polish government, who suggested that the issue would be raised in the first phase of negotiations on Ukraine's EU membership. Prior to that, politicians from both countries avoided discussing this subject, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine. president Andrzej Duda participated in the communicative on the Polish side.
We have adequate political will and diplomatic talent to solve all issue, including the most hard one, with our closest allies and friends of Poles. We will talk about it present – said Sybiha on 1 October.
However, Sybiha’s words are controversial due to the fact that they appear to be vague. For example, the abroad Minister did not specify precisely who he would like to talk to.
His first visit to Poland Andrij Sybiha started at the Orthodox cemetery in Warsaw Wola, where he placed a wreath in front of the monument “Soldiers of the Ukrainian People's Republic, Defenders of Ukraine and Poland”. There are soldiers of Symon Petlura, who together with Polish soldiers of Marshal Pilsudski defended Europe against the Bolshevik invasion.
On Monday, the Minister of abroad Affairs of Ukraine held talks with the head of the Hungarian MFA, Peter Szijarto, in Budapest. After the meeting, Sybiha stressed that he and his Hungarian counterpart had noticed "positive dynamics" in solving issues concerning national minorities. Ukraine and Hungary plan to hold a joint intergovernmental committee gathering by the end of the year.
Kuleba's unfortunate statement
The subject of the Volyn massacre and the ignoring of the subject of the event by the Ukrainian side comes back all now and then.
At the late held Campus Polish Future event, Dmytro Kułeba, then the Minister of abroad Affairs of Ukraine, was present. Participants decided to address hard historical topics between Poland and Ukraine. 1 of the participants asked the diplomat about the anticipation of exhuming victims of the Volyn crime, stressing at the same time the crucial support that Poland has given Ukraine in the war with Russia for more than 2 years.
Kuleba discussed the 1947 “Wisła” action conducted by the PRL authorities. This operation consisted of the displacement of Ukrainian population from south-eastern Poland to western areas of the country to cut UPA troops from support. Deportation peculiarly affected the Lemko population, and this event was condemned by Polish institutions, including Presidents Alexander Kwasniewski and Lech Kaczyński.
Kułęba pointed out that if relations between Poland and Ukraine are dominated by emotions, this can favour Russia, which uses historical tensions. He urged that historical issues be left to historians and focus on building a common future. He besides stressed that Ukraine has no problem continuing the exhumation, but asks the Polish government to commemorate Ukrainian victims as well, so that the actions are bilateral.
