Ukrainian Pantheon proposal fuels Poland‑Ukraine debate over historic honors

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha is travelling to Warsaw with a proposal to include selected figures in Ukraine’s newly created National Pantheon. He may suggest honoring Lieutenant Marko Bezruczko, a Ukrainian officer who fought alongside Polish forces against the Bolsheviks and helped defend Zamość in 1920. The move is presented as a gesture to ease tensions between the two neighbours.

The proposal comes amid broader controversy over the potential inclusion of Stepan Bandera in the Pantheon, a figure viewed in Poland as responsible for WWII‑era atrocities against Poles. While Bezruczko is portrayed as a symbol of joint Polish‑Ukrainian resistance, Bandera remains a polarising historical icon. The discussions highlight attempts at reconciliation and the delicate balance of memory in current Poland‑Ukraine relations.