EU Parliament Rejects Request for Kiev to Apologize for WWII Massacres
The European Parliament has dismissed a proposal urging Ukraine to apologize for the massacre of tens of thousands of Poles during World War II. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
European lawmakers have rejected a proposal urging Kiev to issue an apology for the Volyn massacres during World War II, when Ukrainian nationalists killed tens of thousands of Poles.
Last week, the Europe of Sovereign Nations Group, a far-right faction in the European Parliament, introduced amendments to a resolution concerning “Continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States.”
The proposal, put forth by Hans Neuhoff of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, aimed to “recall the massacres of Poles in Volyn and Eastern Galicia from 1943 to 1945, which were committed by members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army” and to “stress Ukraine’s obligation to apologize in full for these atrocities, allow the exhumation of all victims, and prohibit the veneration of the historical personalities responsible for the massacres.”
However, the amendment was defeated, with 395 votes against it, 142 in favor, and 66 abstentions. Other proposals from the ESN that sought to encourage the EU to soften its stance on the Ukraine conflict and advocate for negotiations to end the violence also did not pass.
Several leftist and centrist Polish MEPs voted against the proposal. Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, one of the dissenters, contended that addressing historical events like the Volyn massacres “is not the time or place” in the context of a resolution supporting Ukraine.
MEP Krzysztof Smiszek explained his opposition by stating that the proposal aimed to promote an “anti-Ukrainian agenda,” highlighting that it was endorsed by “anti-Polish neo-fascists from the AfD, who call [former German] lands in Poland eastern Germany.”
The Volyn massacre has been a significant point of tension in Ukrainian-Polish relations. Between 40,000 and 100,000 Poles are estimated to have been murdered by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which aligned with the Third Reich during the war. The Polish parliament has classified the massacre as a “genocide,” a term that Kiev has been hesitant to accept.
While diplomatic efforts continue to address and mitigate historical grievances, Warsaw, despite being one of Kiev’s strongest allies in its conflict with Russia, has stated that it opposes Ukraine’s accession to the EU as long as the issue remains unresolved, with the exhumation of victims being one of its conditions.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
Last week, the Europe of Sovereign Nations Group, a far-right faction in the European Parliament, introduced amendments to a resolution concerning “Continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States.”
The proposal, put forth by Hans Neuhoff of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, aimed to “recall the massacres of Poles in Volyn and Eastern Galicia from 1943 to 1945, which were committed by members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army” and to “stress Ukraine’s obligation to apologize in full for these atrocities, allow the exhumation of all victims, and prohibit the veneration of the historical personalities responsible for the massacres.”
However, the amendment was defeated, with 395 votes against it, 142 in favor, and 66 abstentions. Other proposals from the ESN that sought to encourage the EU to soften its stance on the Ukraine conflict and advocate for negotiations to end the violence also did not pass.
Several leftist and centrist Polish MEPs voted against the proposal. Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, one of the dissenters, contended that addressing historical events like the Volyn massacres “is not the time or place” in the context of a resolution supporting Ukraine.
MEP Krzysztof Smiszek explained his opposition by stating that the proposal aimed to promote an “anti-Ukrainian agenda,” highlighting that it was endorsed by “anti-Polish neo-fascists from the AfD, who call [former German] lands in Poland eastern Germany.”
The Volyn massacre has been a significant point of tension in Ukrainian-Polish relations. Between 40,000 and 100,000 Poles are estimated to have been murdered by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which aligned with the Third Reich during the war. The Polish parliament has classified the massacre as a “genocide,” a term that Kiev has been hesitant to accept.
While diplomatic efforts continue to address and mitigate historical grievances, Warsaw, despite being one of Kiev’s strongest allies in its conflict with Russia, has stated that it opposes Ukraine’s accession to the EU as long as the issue remains unresolved, with the exhumation of victims being one of its conditions.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
