European Parliament rejects call for Ukraine to apologise over WW2 massacres of Poles

The European Parliament has rejected a proposal for it to call on Ukraine to apologise for the Volhynia massacres of World War Two – during which Ukrainian nationalists slaughtered around 100,000 ethnic Poles – to allow exhumation of the victims, and to stop honouring perpetrators.

The idea has also caused disagreement among Polish MEPs, with right-wing politicians criticising left-wing ones who voted against it.

The proposal was submitted as an amendment to a resolution calling for EU member states to continue financial and military support for Ukraine. It would have added to the resolution that the European Parliament:

“Recalls the massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia from 1943 to 1945, which were committed by members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA); stresses Ukraine’s obligation to apologise in full for these atrocities, allow the exhumation of the all [sic] victims and prohibit the veneration of the historical personalities responsible for the massacres.”

The amendment was submitted by Hans Neuhoff – an MEP from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) – and Stanisław Tyszka – from Poland’s far-right Confederation (Konfederacja) – on behalf of the Europe of Sovereign Nations Group (ESN) that they belong to in the European Parliament.

However, when the amendment came up for a vote last week, it was defeated, with only 142 MEPs in favour and 395 against. Among Polish delegates, those from Confederation, the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) and the centrist Civic Coalition (KO) voted in favour.

However, four Polish MEPs voted against it: three from The Left (Lewica) – Robert Biedroń, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus and Krzysztof Śmiszek – and one from the centrist Poland 2050 (Poland 2050), Michał Kobosko.

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Explaining their decision to broadcaster Radio Zet, Scheuring-Wielgus said, “we believe that a resolution on financing and helping Ukraine in the war is not the time or place” to make a declaration about the Volhynia massacres.

She accused Confederation of “populistically exploiting this genocide” and said “that is why we as The Left, together with Michał Kobosko, voted against this amendment by the fascists”.

Śmiszek, meanwhile, told news website i.pl that “Confederation is trying to implement its anti-Ukrainian agenda regarding aid for Ukraine”. The far-right party has long been critical of the large amounts of aid and other support Poland has provided to Kyiv following Russia’s invasion.

Their decision was, however, criticised by Confederation MEP Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, who remarked that, “for The Left, there is never a time and a place for defending Polish interests and historical truth”.

Śmiszek told i.pl, however, that “The Left is clearly in favour of clarifying the issue of the Volhynia massacres and providing compensation to the victims”.

“Let me remind you,” he added, “that Confederation is in the same group as the anti-Polish neo-fascists from the AfD, who call [former German] lands in Poland eastern Germany.”

Śmiszek suggested that KO – with whom The Left is part of Poland’s ruling coalition – had allowed itself to “vote with the fascists” on this amendment.

Kobosko, meanwhile, told i.pl that before the “difficult and painful thorn” of the Volhynia massacres can be dealt with, “Ukraine must first win the war and defend its sovereignty”.

“That is impossible without further support from the West, and our resolution was about this support,” he added. “A resolution is a place to call on EU institutions to take specific actions, not a history textbook.”

One of Confederation’s leaders, Sławomir Mentzen, however, declared on Monday that, “if joining the EU is so important to Ukrainians, then let them finally apologise for Volhynia, agree to exhumations and stop honouring the murderers“.

Polish deputy prime minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz likewise recently warned that “Ukraine will not join the European Union if the Volhynia issue is not resolved”. Foreign minister Radosław Sikorski said this month that Ukraine should allow exhumations of victims “out of gratitude for what Poland is doing for Ukraine today”.

Daniel Tilles

Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.