Ukrainian-Polish relations: retrospective and future
On 21 November, Kherson State University hosted a lecture entitled ‘Ukrainian-Polish Relations: Retrospective and Future’. The event was held as part of the Educational and Cultural HUB dedicated to the 106th anniversary of KSU. The speaker was Roman Drozd, Honorary Professor of KSU, Professor of the Institute of History at the Pomeranian University in Słupsk.
The lecture focused on Polish-Ukrainian relations, which have been developing for many years of neighbourliness. Mr Roman stressed that even the current relations between the two countries are influenced by historical events of the past. Among them, the speaker highlighted such historical phenomena as the Wisla action and the Volyn tragedy.
According to the lecturer, the first attempts at reconciliation between Ukraine and the Republic of Poland took place on 21 May 1997. It was initiated by the presidents Aleksander Kwasniewski and Leonid Kuchma. Many historical monuments were unveiled to promote mutual understanding between the two countries, including a memorial plaque in the village of Pavlivka, Volyn Oblast. On the anniversary of the Volyn tragedy, the presidents of Poland and Ukraine met to commemorate the victims of these events.
During the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, reconciliation was suspended, as he was focused on Russia and the development of friendly political relations with that country. Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski did not support this political direction, so reconciliation was forced to be put on hold.
Petro Poroshenko became the next president of Ukraine, and Andrzej Duda - of Poland. During the next anniversary of the Volyn tragedy, Petro Poroshenko visited the memorial plaque in the village of Pavlivka and laid flowers in memory of the event, but the Polish media did not cover this information. According to the historian, this was due to a ‘conflict of worldviews’ regarding the tragedy in Volyn.This historical case has become a stumbling block. After all, according to the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, the actions of the UIA were a real genocide on ethnic grounds. For Ukrainians, the UIA is an organisation that fought for the independence of our country.
However, times are changing. From the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Polish citizens began to help our country en masse, putting aside historical contradictions and conflicts. It is this assistance from our neighbour that has gradually improved relations between our countries.
After the lecture, the audience asked questions to the speaker. Academic staff and students joined in the discussion.