Poland losing role as active advocate for Ukraine — historian

Ukrainian historian Yaroslav Hrytsak shared his opinions on Espreso TV.

“I’m a bit wary of the concept of ‘the people’ because I don’t know what it really means. There are several million people, and you can’t say they form a single whole. Maybe there are exceptional cases when 90–95% think alike. However, even during a war, when our country faces a threat, this doesn’t happen. There is a majority, but not 100%,” Hrytsak explained.

The historian emphasized that discussions about historical disagreements with Poland should be conducted in the language of diplomacy and politics, not history. He noted that it is a complex process, but one that must be undertaken.

“If we talk about Poland, the country is divided exactly in half — 50/50. This is very important. I constantly emphasize that Karol Nawrocki is not the president of all of Poland. He is the president of half of Poland. The other half is not difficult for us to engage with, as these Poles take a very pro-Ukrainian stance. They fully understand the complexity of our situation and agree that Bandera is a hero, because they see him as a symbol of anti-Russian resistance for Ukraine. We don’t need to convince them of anything; on the contrary, they take the initiative themselves. This is the part of Poland represented by Donald Tusk’s government. Talking to the other half of Poland is very difficult, almost impossible, but it must be done. Clearly, in this case, one needs to speak not in the language of history, but of diplomacy and politics. In reality, today, Poland is losing its agency. And we should not forget about Trump, who can influence Nawrocki. It appears that Poland and President Nawrocki today are rather weak figures. Poland is losing its ability to be an active advocate for Ukraine,” he added.

• Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed a law granting social benefits and free healthcare to unemployed Ukrainians.