Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will visit Warsaw on Wednesday to meet Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk following what Poland has described as a "breakthrough" in resolving a longstanding historical dispute. The conflict centers on wartime exhumations related to the Volhynia massacres, a sensitive issue between the two nations despite Poland's strong support for Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022.
The Volhynia killings, which took place between 1943 and 1945, resulted in the deaths of more than 100,000 Poles at the hands of Ukrainian nationalists, with thousands of Ukrainians also killed in retaliatory acts. Poland has long sought unrestricted access for its specialists to exhume and properly bury the victims.
Polish Prime Minister Tusk announced on Friday that Ukraine had agreed to allow the first exhumations to proceed, marking a significant step forward. The exhumations are expected to begin in April, according to Polish media reports.
During Zelenskiy’s visit, he and Tusk will discuss exhumation efforts and other key bilateral issues. The two leaders are set to hold a joint press conference at 11:40 GMT.
The Volhynia massacres remain a contentious topic. In 2013, the Polish parliament recognized the killings by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) as “ethnic cleansing bearing the hallmarks of genocide.” Ukraine, however, has not accepted this designation, viewing the events as part of a broader conflict that affected both nations. Kyiv has emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue and the need for historical disputes not to undermine current cooperation.
Poland, now holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, has prioritized bolstering EU security and supporting Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha expressed hopes for new EU initiatives to assist Ukraine’s resistance against Russia.
Meanwhile, Ukraine faces continued Russian aggression, with missile strikes targeting the national energy grid. Emergency power cuts have been implemented in six regions, including Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia, following a "massive" missile strike, according to Ukrenergo, Ukraine's grid operator. Air-raid alerts were issued nationwide, but there were no immediate reports of damage.
Zelenskiy’s visit to Warsaw underscores the growing importance of Polish-Ukrainian ties amid the ongoing war and the EU’s efforts to maintain unity against Russian aggression.