Andrii Sybiha urges Ukraine and Poland to resist Russian efforts to undermine ties
Andrii Sybiha called on Ukraine and Poland to counter attempts by Russia to weaken their mutual trust and relations. Writing in Rzeczpospolita, he backed an objective approach to the Volyn tragedy, respect for victims’ memory and joint efforts to uncover the truth.
Key points
- Andrii Sybiha wrote in the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita.
- He urged Ukraine and Poland to resist Russian attempts to drive a wedge between them.
- Sybiha said Moscow seeks to weaken the significance of the early months of the full-scale invasion and undermine trust and solidarity.
- He said the Volyn tragedy remains a deep wound and warned against the Kremlin exploiting the suffering of victims’ families.
- Poland expects an objective view of the events, respect for victims’ memory and the burial of relatives, Sybiha said.
- Ukraine and Poland have made historic progress in addressing their historical dispute, he said.
- Ukrainian and Polish specialists completed exhumations at the former villages of Ostrivka and Volia Ostrovecka in August.
Why it matters
Sybiha’s appeal is intended to prevent a rupture between Ukraine and Poland, which he believes Moscow is trying to provoke. He presents measures to address the historical dispute as historic progress in bilateral relations. His call for an objective account, a search for truth and mutual respect for victims’ memory seeks to address the concerns of victims’ families.
What happened
In an article for Rzeczpospolita, Andrii Sybiha called on Ukraine and Poland to resist Russian efforts to undermine their relationships and trust. He said Moscow was trying to diminish the importance of the first months after the full-scale invasion, sow doubt and portray trust and solidarity as mistakes. Referring to the Volyn tragedy, he acknowledged that it remains a deep wound and urged both countries to pursue the truth without forgetting the victims or allowing the Kremlin to exploit their families’ suffering. He also said the people of both nations should determine the content, level and tone of their relations themselves.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage focuses on Russian interference in Ukrainian-Polish relations and on preserving trust and solidarity after the start of the full-scale invasion. It highlights the willingness to discuss difficult history without forgetting the victims and cites concrete archival and exhumation steps undertaken by Ukraine with Poland. Attention is also drawn to the memory of Ukrainians who died or suffered forced displacement during the same period.
How international sources describe it
For a Polish audience, Sybiha stressed that Poland expects an objective view of the events, respect for the memory of victims and the burial of relatives. He argued that the memory of one people should not undermine the memory of another and that Ukraine and Poland should set the terms of their relationship themselves. The broader international context is his warning that the Kremlin is seeking to exploit anti-Ukrainian rhetoric to create divisions.
Background
In July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the Security Service of Ukraine and intelligence agencies would open archives concerning the events in Volyn. In August, Ukrainian and Polish specialists completed exhumations at the sites of the former villages of Ostrivka and Volia Ostrovecka. Sybiha also recalled that Saint John Paul II urged both peoples to place what united them above what divided them.