Marshal of the Sejm Włodzimierz Czarzasty after meeting Ruslan Stefanczuk in Szczawnica clearly said: Ukraine must call the Volyn massacre genocide if it wants to join the European Union. The Union is values, not an ATM.
Vladimir Czarzasty and Chairman of the Supreme Council of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanczuk met on August 10, 2026 in Szczawnica. Delegations of both parliaments visited Ukrainian children of wounded soldiers who rest in Poland at the invitation of the Speaker of the Sejm. After the interview, Czarzasty made a strong statement.
He stressed that he supported Ukraine's accession to the EU. At the same time, he pointed out that this process requires Ukrainians to face their entire history. "The European Union is democracy and values; it is not just an ATM. It also means calling genocide what it is. This is history, and no nation can escape its history," he said.
Volynska massacre still shares
The 1943–1944 Volynska massacre is one of the most difficult issues in Polish-Ukrainian relations. The UPA troops and part of the local population then executed mass murders on Poles. Historians estimate the number of victims at 40–60 thousand, and according to some studies even more. Poland has been calling these events genocide for years.
Ukraine has avoided such a term for a long time. More often, there is talk about "the Volyn tragedy". In recent years, however, there have been some movements – exhumations have resumed and President Volodymyr Zelenski announced the opening of archives and decisions in historical matters. Nevertheless, the subject continues to create tensions.
The European Union is more than money
The Black One's statement is part of a wider debate on the conditions for Ukraine's entry into the EU. Poland has repeatedly stressed that supporting Kiev does not preclude talking about a difficult past. Similar accents had previously appeared in the statements of other Polish politicians.
The black man pointed out that meetings like this in Szczawnica were only the beginning. He proposed a regular channel of communication between the parliaments of both countries. In his opinion, no situation is hopeless if both sides want to talk honestly – even about painful matters.
Czarzasty holds that the security of Poland and Ukraine is linked.
Time will show whether talks in Szczawnica and similar gestures will translate into concrete decisions. One thing is certain: the subject of the Volynska Rzezi will not disappear from the Polish-Ukrainian dialogue.
