European Parliament lambasts Zelensky for 'unprovoked escalation' against Poland

European lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on July 8 to amend a report on Ukraine to criticize President Volodymyr Zelensky for his decision to rename an elite military unit after a Ukrainian group that Poland says killed tens of thousands of ethnic Poles during World War Two.

Diplomatic tensions between Kyiv and Warsaw flared after Zelensky named a military unit after the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) on May 26.

The UPA waged a protracted struggle for Ukraine’s independence against the Soviets during and after World War II. However, the group's legacy remains contentious in Poland due to some of its members' involvement in the mass killings of Poles in then Nazi-occupied western Ukraine.

The European Parliament "regrets the recent unnecessary and unprovoked escalation by President Volodymyr Zelensky by renaming an elite military unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the UPA," reads the amendment, filed by Polish center-right lawmaker Andrzej Halicki, who hails from the same party as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The amendment goes on to say that the European Parliament "regrets the disregard for Polish sensitivities and grief related to the UPA's estimated many tens of thousands of victims and their families, especially in the light of Poland's steadfast support for Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression."

Finally, the amendment, which passed overwhelmingly with 592 votes in favor versus 42 against, said Zelensky's decision was "not in line with European values."

The European Parliament "calls for de-escalation and renewed efforts in good faith towards reconciliation."

There have already been moves towards said de-escalation. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha proposed a package of "anti-crisis steps" on July 3, and Zelensky met his Polish counterpart Karol Nawrocki for the first time since they clashed over the matter on July 7.

However, the rupture in relations between the two countries risks extending beyond merely the two sides returning ceremonial awards.

Polish public opinion about Ukraine has gotten less favorable in light of the controversy, at least one defense exchange seems to have been brought to a halt, and Tusk adopted a new rhetorical line on July 3, suggesting that Poland should be more cautious about pledging assistance to Kyiv and invest more in its own defenses.

The rift in Polish-Ukrainian relations ultimately plays into Russia's hands, which has disinformation operations dedicated to exploiting the rupture in order to weaken European solidarity with Ukraine.