Ukrainian foreign minister amid tensions with Poland: "We will not tolerate this."

"Disrespect towards the president of Ukraine is not only about awards. It is about disrespect towards the Ukrainian soldier, the Ukrainian people and our right to have our own history. We will not tolerate this. (...) The time of ignoring such actions has passed."

pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/06/21/8040410/

So, basically, they're saying: "we will worship nazi collaborators or even nazis themselves (Waffen-SS) and we will not tolerate if you try to do anything against it".

Brilliant. Looks like "the right to have their own history" means whitewashing genocide perpetrators and honouring Waffen-SS.

Apparently, the time has finally come for a thorough reassessment of Poland's attitude towards Zelenskyy's government. Ukraine is now striking deep into Russian territory and projecting an image of growing strength and confidence. If that confidence has reached the point where Poland's concerns can be dismissed and Poland itself treated with open disregard, then the premise on which Polish support was extended deserves thorough reconsideration. Had Poland withdrawn her support in 2022 or 2023, we could reasonably have been accused of facilitating a Russian victory. The circumstances today, however, are markedly different.

Poland should now begin to share the concerns, attitude and foreign policies of other Central European countries towards Ukraine, most notably Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria.

@Torq▲ 0▼ 0

@Torq

It is politically suicidal for Zelensky to walk back this UPA-naming business.

He'll get killed (metaphorically, or actually physically) by his own ultra nationalists, if seen as buckling under Polish pressure.

For better or worse, a large majority of Ukrainians support him in this.

-//-

In the Ukrainian popular imagination - it is absolutely obvious that they are shielding Poland from an aggressive Russia, with their own bodies.

There isn't much you can do to change their mind on this subject.

Serious people, like the US Supreme Commander in Europe, believe that Russia has no designs on NATO territory. Russia's public officials also keep repeating this....

But Ukrainians firmly believe they are the "Shield of Europe", and that Poles, Slovaks, Hungarians, Czechs are opportunist ingrates.

@Bobko▲ 0▼ 0

I have been writing about this for the last couple of days in the "Poland's aid to Ukraine" thread.

As for the rest of your post: Zelenskyy's future career, his political support, or Ukrainian popular imagination... well, the less said about the extent of my interest in those matters, the better.

@Torq▲ 0▼ 0

It's a game of "proving the opposite", which is always hard.

Some CMS, some Maf-type will come - and point at Medvedev or some Russian TV nobody... and "POOF!" your rhetorical strength is drained.

People don't understand that Medvedev is nobody, and Russian TV is a circus made for grandmas and grandpas that vote Putin.

-//-

The facts all indicate Russia would get absolutely destroyed if it attacked a NATO state now, AND PLUS - IT WOULD REVERSE ALL THE HARD WORK ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

But it is still important, for some people to keep screaming that "The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming!".

@Bobko▲ 0▼ 0

Similar wall heading like when Putin decided to invade Ukraine with full force. No turning back for him.

Problem for Zelenski he has become stuck cause of this. If Croatia had to get rid of Ustashe, Germany be cautious about NSDAP then expecting UPA to be perfectly with E.U membership will rip open questions in Croatia AND Germany! It's simply unacceptable, delaying or barring Ukraine from EU membership regardless of Poland's position in this. Ukraine is shooting herself in the foot with this and blaming Poland?!

...

@Mr Grunwald▲ 0▼ 0

The mind does rather boggle, doesn't it? :-/


Well, yes, Grunni. Simply because Poland is the best country in the world to blame: not too big and important, but not too small and insignificant either; not powerful enough to inspire fear, yet not weak enough for those who demonize her to become objects of ridicule themselves. We are a perfect sacrificial scapegoat, and if you dig deeply enough into the PF archives, you'll find that I said several years ago that, sooner or later, Ukrainians would find a way to blame everything on us.

@Torq▲ 0▼ 0

He really hasn't. It's only an issue for a relatively small number of people.

I have some sympathy here with Torq etc; if I were an ethnic Pole I'd be annoyed and if it was about my original country I'd also be annoyed.

Nevertheless, this is about the bigger picture. Only one thing is important here; defeating r*SSia.

Polish neo-nationalists, Ukrainian neo-nationalists and anyone else who wants to can argue afterwards, when the blue and yellow flag is flying over the Kremlin and when Putin is in a cell or a cellar.

@jon357▲ 0▼ 0

Most retarded take possible and you grab onto it and won't let it go....


Actually telling the truth for a change?


No, back to your lies... russian officials were denying any intention of invading the literaly day before the invasion.... only fools believe russian lies.

@mafketis▲ 0▼ 0

Well, who cares what they are saying. The issue lies with the Polish side, incompetence. I don't even know what they are doing anymore.
Not saying that Ukrainians are wise, they are not, they're dumb and stubborn beyond believe, sticking to UPA and trying to whitewashed and make it work, but those are their calculations. I don't even know why they think they can pull it, they are not Russia, they are not a nucleal power (maybe they are), and they potential is not that great.
Also they are alienating Poland being at war with Russia.
Whilst Polish politicians are reduced to whinging, slogans an some outdated stereotypes. They reactions are symbolic and impulsive, and solve nothing only make Poland look bad.
That a rare talent, being in the right, having an upper hand and still make Poland look bad.

@Ironside▲ 0▼ 0

....and another sad thing....Poland right now makes the AfD happy!

They hope Poland stops supporting Ukraine and most important stops them becoming an EU-member.....

In the end again the wrong people cheering Poland on, right now....that just sucks!

@Bratwurst Boy▲ 0▼ 0

Most of their attuite comes from realization that Poland is not a suweren actor of the political scene but dependent country obedient either to EU or the US or both.
So they prefer to talk with the real decision makers in Berlin and Washington, that is not stupid.

@Ironside▲ 0▼ 0

Will the EU survive long enough for them to join?
On what ground they can become EU member?
Poland was opening their market, adjusting legislations and follow instruction from the EU for almost 20 years before becoming a member.
How come that Ukraine can become one just like that?
What about Turkey they are waiting 40 years for membership, I think they already given up

@Ironside▲ 0▼ 0

Yes.


Being in Europe.


Who says "just like that"? they still have to meet the conditions.

@jon357▲ 0▼ 0

Yeah, lots of things that Nawrocki could have done, but he went straight for the nuclear option... elect a gangster loving hooligan as president and you'll get crappy confrontational behavior and/or playing to the grandstands rather than diplomacy.

@mafketis▲ 0▼ 0

He is not bad and your opinion about him are way off. It is the fact that Polish politicians don't know how to work politick, they are for the most part fulfilling emotional need of their electorate, given those two factors, no wonder results are lame.
Also as a President he doesn't have tools to do much more or something else.

@Ironside▲ 0▼ 0

IMHO, Turkey lacks the sympathy of the other EU-countries....and that it is religiously and culturally islamic, it would be one of the biggest members then and fully islamic, that plays a role too....and now with that half-dictator Erdogan und his pro-terrorist attitude, it never sat well, especially with Germany....and without the nod from Berlin nobody gets in!

I doubt they ever will, they will have to change their attitude towards Israel about 180 degrees, and I can't see that anytime soon...

@Bratwurst Boy▲ 0▼ 0

But the EU will not accept Ukraine for now, it does not accept countries that are in a state of war.

@Alien▲ 0▼ 0

.....of course it will take years too, even when the war is over.....

But with the membership-route started Ukraine is allowed more support from the EU....thats a fact too...we will help them rebuilding, with an EU-membership in the end in the minds!

@Bratwurst Boy▲ 0▼ 0

No problem at all, and much of Turkiye is of course secular.


We may find that they're ahead of the rest of Europe on this.

@jon357▲ 0▼ 0

I think you're a bit too gloomy when it comes to evaluating the performance of Polish politicians.

Poland has been a "trillion dollar economy" since.... yesterday, and twenty years ago was still a total political outsider.

Certain political "muscles" take a long time to develop.

Russia's foreign service is proud that they allow a relatively impoverished Russia to punch way above its weight, through a several centuries long diplomatic tradition. A Sergei Lavrov type, can draw inspiration from the famous Soviet "Mr. No" - Gromyko, or Nesselrode (who sparred with Metternich).

Britain and France are experienced at top-level diplomacy through almost a thousand years of practice.

China - 2,000+.

Polish diplomats/politicians have to go pretty far back in the past, looking for "role models". That means... to some extent - that the traditions are being written NOW. In that sense, you could do much worse than Radoslaw Sikorski or even Donald Tusk.

@Bobko▲ 0▼ 0

If you weren't cosplaying as a debate bro you would have said that 4 years ago.
Apology accepted.

btw your pm box was full so i sent u email.

@amiga500▲ 0▼ 0

Nope. That's the most obvious take, and fortunately more and more people in Poland are starting to see it.


Poles care. If it hadn't been for Poland's help, there would be no Ukraine today. In the first months of the invasion, Poland provided roughly 70 million rounds of ammunition of all calibres and substantial amounts of heavy equipment that Ukrainian troops could use right away. Trains after trains loaded with ammo and weapons. At the same time, Germany was still spending months debating whether it should send helmets. Ukrainians owe their existence to our substantial and immediate assistance at the very beginning of the war.

And what do we get in return - spitting in our face, insults and even thinly veiled threats: "Without Ukraine, no one can protect Poland. It's simply impossible." Really, Mr Zelenskyy? The masks are falling, and they are falling fast.

@Torq▲ 0▼ 0

You have a bad case of Main Character Syndrome.....


Sure, tiger.....

@mafketis▲ 0▼ 0

These are simple facts, even if certain people would prefer not to acknowledge them.


What? Do you have any doubts about it? The outrage is universal, and not only among the political class (from left to right) but also among the people of culture, academia, and ordinary Poles. People are waking up and scales fall from their eyes. One needs to be blind not to notice it. Even Catholic press who have been, so far, very reserved in their criticism of anything Ukrainian are changing their tone (e.g. see "Brothers Ukrainians - how to forgive you?", in the latest issue of Niedziela).

Remember, Mafketis - for historic reasons, and because of the holocaust of 6 million Poles (including 3 million Poles of Mosaic confession), Polish people have very low tolerance for nazism, fascism, and all forms of genocide perpetrators' whitewashing.

@Torq▲ 0▼ 0

Go get em, champ!

@mafketis▲ 0▼ 0

What is this, some kind of one-word pep-talk competition? Sure, I can play...

Attaboy, chief!
Lead on, commander!
Right you are, ace!

...but it does drag the discussion down a notch - even by your already modest standards, Maf.

@Torq▲ 0▼ 0

Unfortunately the make up of the sejm shows that at least some of the Polish voting public not only have tolerance for fascism, but also want them in government.


And there's only one kind of good fascist.

@jon357▲ 0▼ 0

never mind

@amiga500▲ 0▼ 0

Gratitude? You expect a country to build their policies on gratitude? Even a civilized country wouldn't splurge on a such luxury.
Ukraine is anything but civilized. They are post-soviet third rate, corruption ridden country ruled by the ruthless oligarchy, they are making money and don't care how many Ukrainians die on the front lines as long as their bank accounts are full to the brim. Would they care about gratitude? You give them something for free, you are either scheming something or you are a sucker.
In this context if UPA name can make people in the trenches die happily for their benefit, why not gave them a name , after all it doesn't cost anything.
Poland? What Poland can do to them realistically in the prezent circumstance and with people in charge? Talk some smack? They will talk back and that's the end of it.
They are down to Earth and calculating.
Am I right Bobko? lol!
---

If you have a problem with it you can always leave!
People in the glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Your country is the biggest fascist country there is.

@Ironside▲ 0▼ 0

If they are indeed so calculating, they should refrain from biting the hand that feeds them - unless, of course, they have concluded that our assistance is no longer required. In that case, such assistance should no longer be provided.

It really is as simple as that.

@Torq▲ 0▼ 0