Warsaw Issues Ultimatum to Kyiv Over EU Membership: What Poland Is Demanding.

Poland's Ultimatum to Ukraine

According to Novyny.live: Poland has laid down a firm condition for Ukraine’s entry into the European Union, demanding an end to the glorification of Stepan Bandera and figures linked to the OUN and UPA. If this requirement is not met, Warsaw has vowed to block Ukraine’s path to EU membership. The statement came from Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, during an appearance on the program Gość Wydarzeń on Polsat News.

Kosiniak-Kamysz made it clear that Warsaw would take an uncompromising stance on the celebration of Ukrainian nationalists. He stated:

“You cannot elevate to a pedestal in the EU those who undermine European cooperation.” — Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz

The minister also stressed that ‘with Bandera, Ukraine will not join the European Union’ and added that ‘no one will tell us how we should vote on the accession of any state to the European Union.’ According to him, Poland will independently decide its position during such votes.

The State of Ukraine-Poland Relations

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has confirmed that diplomats are working to ease tensions between the two countries. A rise in anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland has strained bilateral ties. Nevertheless, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has reaffirmed Poland’s unwavering support for Ukraine, underscoring the importance of assistance amid current challenges.

This situation highlights the complexity of Ukraine-Poland relations, which—despite a shared history and wartime solidarity—are now grappling with serious political and historical disagreements. Poland’s ultimatum regarding the glorification of nationalists reflects broader disputes over historical memory and political identity in the region, disputes that could have far-reaching implications for Ukraine’s European integration ambitions.