Polish politician opposes Ukraine's EU entry over 'Banderism'

Mariusz Błaszczak, a former deputy prime minister and vice-president of the Law and Justice party, stated that Poland should block Ukraine's entry into the European Union as long as "Banderism" remains prevalent there. He argued that Kyiv must acknowledge the atrocities committed by Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) formations against the Polish population, which he described as genocide.

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Poland should not support Ukraine's accession to the European Union as long as 'Banderism' is widespread in Ukraine.

Błaszczak rejected any compromise on renaming Ukrainian military units associated with the UPA, asserting that their "criminal nature" precludes any concessions. He also called for the revocation of the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Recounting a visit to Kyiv in February 2023, Błaszczak expressed surprise at the presence of symbols linked to the Banderite movement. He claimed his concerns were dismissed by the then-Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov as historical context, while his successor, Rustem Umerov, cited a lack of authority to address the issue.

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Kyiv must face the truth, because UPA formations committed genocide against the Polish population.

Furthermore, Błaszczak suggested that Zelenskyy's recent decision to bypass Poland for his European tour, opting for a route through Moldova, indicated a diplomatic weakness on the part of current Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. "Donald Tusk has no trump cards," Błaszczak asserted.

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No trump cards in hand does Donald Tusk have.

Regarding military financing, Błaszczak defended the previous government's acquisition of tanks and HIMARS systems, calling them a "real modernization breakthrough." He criticized the current government's use of the EU's SAFE program for loans, characterizing it as a "political program" with inherent conditionality that could be exploited by Brussels for political or ideological demands.

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SAFE is a political program limited to the European Union. It has built-in conditionality.