Poland-Ukraine Historical Dispute Threatens a Key Alliance as War With Russia Continues
A renewed dispute over World War II atrocities is straining Poland-Ukraine relations, raising concerns about a crucial European partnership supporting Ukraine against Russia.
The relationship between Poland and Ukraine is facing a difficult test as a decades-old dispute over World War II history increasingly intersects with the two countries’ present-day security partnership.
Both Warsaw and Kyiv regard Russia as a major security threat. Poland has been one of Ukraine’s important supporters since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Yet disagreements over historical memory, wartime atrocities and the treatment of victims are creating new friction between the neighboring countries.
A recent report by The Wall Street Journal highlighted the sensitivity of the dispute, including the discovery and exhumation of Polish victims in Ukraine.
Why Poland and Ukraine Are Fighting Over History
At the center of the dispute is the legacy of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and violence against Polish civilians in Volhynia and other areas during World War II.
Between 1943 and 1945, Polish civilians were killed during a campaign of violence involving Ukrainian nationalist organizations, including the UPA. Polish historians and officials have described the Volhynia massacres as genocide, while historical interpretations in Ukraine have often placed the violence within the broader context of the wartime struggle involving Polish, Ukrainian, German and Soviet forces.
The dispute is therefore not simply about historical dates. It involves competing national memories, questions of responsibility and the recognition and burial of victims.
Reuters reported earlier this year that tensions intensified after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky honored a Ukrainian military unit using a name associated with the UPA. Polish President Karol Nawrocki subsequently criticized the decision and took action regarding a state honor previously awarded to Zelensky.
Exhumations Have Become a Major Issue
One of the most sensitive questions concerns whether Polish victims buried in Ukraine can be located, exhumed and properly identified.
There have been signs of cooperation in 2026. Ukraine authorized Polish authorities to conduct exhumation work at Ostrówki and Wola Ostrowiecka in the Volhynia region.
According to Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance, specialists conducted exhumations between July 13 and August 7, 2026. They recovered the remains of 55 people, with DNA samples collected for potential identification.
The Polish government has also described cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian institutions on searches and exhumations as an important part of bilateral relations.
The recovery of victims has a significance beyond archaeology. For families searching for relatives and for communities seeking recognition of wartime suffering, identification and dignified burial remain important unresolved issues.
A Difficult Balance for Ukraine
For Ukraine, the historical dispute comes at an especially sensitive moment.
The country remains dependent on European political, economic and military support while fighting Russia. Poland’s geographic position makes it particularly important to Ukraine’s logistics and regional security.
At the same time, Ukrainian national memory contains figures who are viewed differently on opposite sides of the border.
Some Ukrainians regard nationalist organizations and their members primarily through the lens of resistance to Soviet domination and the struggle for Ukrainian independence. In Poland, however, the same organizations are strongly associated with the killing of Polish civilians.
That difference makes historical reconciliation difficult.
Reuters reported in July that Zelensky’s government was seeking to improve relations with Poland by announcing measures including greater access to intelligence archives and efforts related to investigations into the Volhynia massacres.
Poland’s Security Interests and Historical Memory
Poland’s relationship with Ukraine combines two different dimensions: security and history.
Warsaw has strong reasons to maintain cooperation with Kyiv because Russia’s war has fundamentally changed Europe’s security environment. Poland is also directly exposed to developments on NATO’s eastern flank.
But Polish officials and many Polish citizens continue to demand greater recognition of Polish victims of World War II.
This creates a difficult diplomatic equation: Poland can support Ukraine’s security while simultaneously pressing Kyiv over historical questions.
The two objectives do not necessarily have to conflict, but disagreements over historical symbols and commemoration can make broader cooperation more complicated.
Why This Matters for Ukraine’s European Future
The Poland-Ukraine dispute also has implications beyond bilateral relations.
Poland is an influential member of the European Union and an important voice on European security. Ukraine’s efforts to deepen its relationship with the EU therefore take place partly within a political environment where historical questions can influence public and governmental attitudes.
At the same time, the dispute should not be viewed as representing the entirety of Polish-Ukrainian relations.
There is substantial cooperation between the two countries, including security coordination, economic links, humanitarian assistance and work related to historical investigations.
In fact, the 2026 exhumation efforts demonstrate that cooperation remains possible even while political disagreements continue.
The Role of Russia and Information Warfare
The historical dispute also creates opportunities for outside manipulation.
Poland’s government has warned that Russia could attempt to exploit divisions between Poles and Ukrainians over the Volhynia issue. In July, Poland’s Resilience Council said Russian information operations were seeking to deepen divisions by using the historical controversy.
That does not eliminate legitimate Polish or Ukrainian disagreements over history. It does, however, highlight how sensitive historical disputes can become in a broader geopolitical confrontation.
For both countries, separating legitimate historical research from political manipulation is likely to remain important.
A Relationship Caught Between the Past and Present
The Poland-Ukraine relationship illustrates a broader challenge facing Europe: countries can share a strategic interest while maintaining deeply different memories of the past.
For Poland, recognition of Polish victims and access to burial sites remain important elements of historical justice.
For Ukraine, national identity has been shaped by decades of conflict involving Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, and some historical figures continue to be viewed through the lens of resistance and independence.
Reconciling these narratives will not be easy.
But the recent exhumations also demonstrate that practical cooperation is possible. In August, Polish authorities reported that 55 victims recovered at Ostrówki and Wola Ostrowiecka were given a funeral ceremony, including 26 children.
What Happens Next?
The future of Poland-Ukraine relations will depend partly on whether the two governments can separate historical disputes from areas where cooperation is essential.
Continued archaeological searches, access to archives, identification of victims and dignified burials could provide a practical foundation for addressing unresolved historical questions.
The larger challenge is political: finding a way for Poland and Ukraine to acknowledge painful historical experiences without allowing those disagreements to overwhelm their present-day security relationship.
As Russia’s war continues to shape European security, the relationship between Warsaw and Kyiv will remain strategically important. But the unresolved legacy of World War II shows that even countries facing a common external threat can still be divided by history.
Key Takeaways
- 🇵🇱 Poland and Ukraine remain important security partners despite growing disagreements over historical memory.
- 🪦 World War II-era atrocities in Volhynia remain at the center of the dispute.
- 🔎 Polish and Ukrainian institutions cooperated on 2026 exhumations, including work that recovered 55 victims.
- 🧬 DNA testing may help identify victims recovered from historical burial sites.
- 🇪🇺 The dispute has wider implications for Ukraine’s relationship with Europe.
- 🇷🇺 Polish officials have warned that Russia may exploit historical divisions between the two countries.
- 🤝 Recent cooperation demonstrates that diplomatic engagement remains possible, even amid significant disagreements.
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