The meeting came amid a wave of criticism in Poland over Zelensky's decision to name a Ukrainian Armed Forces unit after the "Heroes of the UPA". The Ukrainian Insurgent Army is considered a criminal organization in Poland, largely due to its role in the Volhynia massacre during World War II.
Mishchenko said the UPA's historical legacy "is associated above all with the pursuit of independence, the fight against the Soviet regime, and resistance to the occupation of Ukrainian territories by the USSR".
He also acknowledged that Ukrainian-Polish shared history includes "tragic chapters, in particular those related to the Volhynia tragedy", calling for professional and objective historical research.
Both sides emphasized the importance of continuing joint work on difficult questions of historical memory "in a spirit of mutual respect and responsibility", the ministry said.
As a response, President Karol Nawrocki said Zelensky should be stripped of Poland's Order of the White Eagle, proposing the matter be taken up at the Order's chapter meeting on June 8. Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the decision troubling, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned that only Vladimir Putin stands to gain from a Polish-Ukrainian dispute over the past, and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz called it unacceptable.
Despite the tensions, Łukasiewicz reaffirmed that Poland would continue to provide Ukraine with comprehensive support toward restoring its territorial integrity as quickly as possible.
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Source: PAP