Polish MPs call to block Ukraine's EU bid and Starlink over UPA issue

Amid rising tensions with Ukraine, some members of Poland’s parliament are calling for a tougher stance following a recent dispute over the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).

Polish politicians are now considering blocking Ukraine’s EU accession and Starlink access, citing what they believe is an ongoing disregard from Kyiv, News.Az reports, citing UAWire.

On Wednesday, Marcin Przydacz, the head of the International Policy Bureau under Poland’s president, said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should apologize to his counterpart Karol Nawrocki. The issue: Kyiv recently designated the elite Ukrainian unit “Sever” as the “Heroes of UPA”-a reference to the controversial nationalist group.

But on Thursday, Krzysztof Bosak, deputy speaker of Poland’s Sejm and leader of the far-right Confederation party, took things further. He told RMF24 that Warsaw should block Ukraine’s EU accession process until Kyiv “abandons the cult of criminals and allows the full exhumation” of victims of the Volhynia massacre, referencing ongoing disputes over historical memory.

“If we want to exert real pressure on Ukraine, we need to take more concrete steps that will have real effect,” Bosak argued.

He also called for Poland to stop funding Starlink for Ukraine and withdraw from joint loan schemes with other European partners, which are designed to finance Kyiv’s war effort.

“This is probably the first case I know in the history of international finance where countries, instead of giving out loans, take on liabilities themselves-offering non-repayable, unconditional aid and assuming the debt burden themselves,” Bosak said, accusing Poland’s ruling parties of allowing “disdain for Polish politicians” to take hold in Ukraine. “They’re seen as weak. People think any provocation will go unanswered.”

Recently, Karol Nawrocki said he wants to strip Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle-Poland’s highest honor, awarded for extraordinary service to the republic and given to Zelensky by former President Andrzej Duda in April 2023. The move, Nawrocki insisted, was prompted by Zelensky’s decision to give the “Heroes of UPA” title to a Ukrainian military unit.

Ukrainian officials, for their part, have said Warsaw is overreacting and stressed that no harm was intended. They explain the UPA symbolizes resistance to Russian imperialism for Ukrainian soldiers, pointing out that Moscow remains a common adversary for both Kyiv and Warsaw.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli