Jarosław Kaczyński warns Poland will block Ukraine’s EU entry over Bandera‑UPA issue

Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) party, sent a letter dated 1 July to party members outlining his stance on Ukraine’s possible accession to the European Union. He argues that Ukraine cannot be admitted to the EU unless it fully abandons the “cult of Stepan Bandera, the UPA and the OUN,” warning that allowing such ideology would destabilise the Union and cause economic losses for Poland. Kaczyński pledged that, if PiS wins the upcoming elections, the party will use all available means to block any EU‑integration process that favours a “Bandera‑type” Ukraine. He highlighted Poland’s historic role in supporting Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, citing “huge financial costs” incurred in helping sustain the Ukrainian state and its army. The letter also condemned President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to name a special‑forces unit “heroes of the UPA,” calling it a “brazen and disrespectful act.” Other PiS figures, including Władysław Kosiniak‑Kamysz and Marcin Bosacki, echoed the demand for reforms and the rejection of glorifying historical perpetrators as a pre‑condition for EU accession. The correspondence criticises the current government for what Kaczyński describes as a sub‑servient policy toward Berlin and former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, labeling it “catastrophic” for Poland’s interests.