Dmytro Kułęba, Minister of abroad Affairs of Ukraine, said that during Campus Poland's Future it caused an avalanche of reactions and outrage in Poland. His words about the Volyn crime and the “Wisła” action met with harsh criticism, especially from Polish politicians.
During the gathering at Campus Polska Future, 1 of the participants asked Dmytro Kułeba about plans to exhume victims of the Volynsk crime. The answer of the Ukrainian minister was unexpected and sparked controversy.
What did Dmytro Kuleba say?
Kuleba referred to Operation Wisła in 1947, comparing it to the Volyn crime. He pointed out that the Ukrainians were forcibly displaced from Ukrainian lands to Polish lands, including Olsztyn.
Minister Kułęba stressed that “the burial in history” only divides the nations, and in the current situation only Moscow favours. However, he pointed out that Ukraine has no problem with continuing the exhumation in Volyn, but urged that Poland besides commemorate Ukrainian victims. At the end of his speech, he appealed: “Let us leave past to historians, and let us build the future together.”
Political reactions: informing and outrage
Kułęba's words met with an immediate reaction of Polish politicians. Janusz Kowalski stated that Minister Kułeba should be considered a individual non grata in Poland and leave the country immediately. In his opinion, Poland should make clear the issue of the exhumation of victims of Volyn and not agree to the "historic revisionism" from Ukraine.
Dmytro Kuleba is criticized by Jakub Banash, president of Chełm. In his opinion, comparing the action “Wisła” to the genocide in Volyn is “a vile thing”, and talking about Ukrainian territory in Polish lands is false and dangerous.
Sikorski and Szydło: 2 approaches to the past
Former abroad Minister Radosław Sikorski besides referred to the controversy. In his interview with PAP, he stated that the bill of harm between Poland and Ukraine was not unilateral. He emphasized that while the past is crucial and the victims deserve Christian burial, it is more crucial to focus on building a common future.
In turn, erstwhile Prime Minister Beata Szydło expressed outrage at Kułęba's words, calling him an "unprecedented event" in Polish-Ukrainian relations. She criticised him for defining any regions of Poland as “Ukrainian territories”, which she felt was a manifestation of contempt and impudence towards Poland.
Dymytro Kułeba and the future of Polish-Ukrainian relations
The statements by Dmytro Kułęba and the reactions it has caused indicate the complexity of Polish-Ukrainian relations, especially in the context of hard history. In the face of expanding tension, the future of dialog between the 2 countries may depend on whether a common ground of agreement can be found that takes into account both the past and the future.
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