In Warsaw, this is being called an important step towards reconciliation between the two countries. The announcement is seen as a move towards healing ties between Poland and Ukraine, especially in the context of the current Russian aggression in the region. Prime Minister Tusk said "history must no longer divide us."
The Volyn massacre, also known as the Volhynia tragedy, took place during World War II between 1943 and 1945. In the Volhynia region, a part of Poland that has been in western Ukraine since 1945, an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 Polish civilians were murdered by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
The UPA, a nationalist militia fighting for an independent Ukraine, sought to expel the Polish population and ethnically cleanse the area. Poland has labeled these events as genocide. The German Nazi regime formed dozens of so-called "Ost Legions" from various nationalist groups from former Soviet republics in the early 1940s.
The legacy of the Volyn massacre has caused tensions between Poland and Ukraine for decades. Poland has long advocated for recognition and justice for the victims, while Ukraine has pointed mainly to the complex historical context of the time. The issue has complicated bilateral relations, especially during periods of political instability in both Poland and Ukraine.
Last week, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that an agreement had been reached with Ukraine regarding excavations of Polish victims. This decision marks an important breakthrough after years of deadlock. Tusk worked closely with President Volodymyr Zelensky and called the excavations a crucial step to "heal the wounds of the past."
The excavations will take place in areas where mass graves are suspected. Both countries have stated they will collaborate on identifying and reburying the victims. The process will be coordinated by specialized commissions and historical institutes from both countries.