Poland marks WWII forest village pacifications, amid rising Polish‑Ukrainian tensions

On 5 July, Polish officials gathered in Jeziorki to commemorate the 83rd anniversary of the 1943 pacification of forest villages in Jeziorki and Byczyna. Representatives of the city council, local families of victims and clergy laid flowers at the monument and held a mass, recalling the German‑ordered arrests and killings of resistance members and civilians during World War II.

At the same time, Polish‑Ukrainian relations grew tense after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named a unit “Heroes of UPA”. Poland’s foreign minister Karol Nawrocki returned the Order of the White Eagle sent to Zelensky, and senior officials warned of possible escalation in July. Opinion polls showed mixed blame for the diplomatic strain. Ministers of foreign affairs from both countries met to propose a package of historical dialogue and joint research, seeking to de‑escalate the dispute while both nations continue to view Russia as a common adversary.