European Commissioner for Enlargement Martha Kos, in a conversation with journalists in Brussels, expressed the hope that tensions in relations between Ukraine and Poland will not hinder Ukraine’s progress in the EU. When asked whether Warsaw could block Ukraine’s accession, Kos replied that the European Union had previously found solutions to difficult situations, in particular with Hungary, although this sometimes took time, the Ukrinform correspondent reports..

In particular, Kos expressed hope that the governments and politicians of Ukraine and Poland will allow all necessary steps to be taken to open the remaining negotiating clusters, and then gradually close them section by section. The European Commissioner also stressed that she remains optimistic.

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Relations between Poland and Ukraine worsened after President Vladimir Zelensky awarded one of the Special Operations Forces units the honorary name “named after the Heroes of the UPA” at the end of May.. In Poland, the decree was reacted with protests and calls to repeal it.

After a lengthy exchange of statements on both sides and Ukraine’s refusal to change the name of the unit, Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Zelensky of the country’s highest state award, the Order of the White Eagle.. As a sign of solidarity with Zelensky, all Ukrainian presidents who had them, as well as other officials, both current and former, refused Polish state awards.

Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has repeatedly called on politicians to use “common sense” and de-escalate the situation. In particular, on June 23, he quoted the words of the late Pope John Paul II with a call for forgiveness and cleansing of historical memory.

A day earlier, Tusk also said that the conflict is a strategic mistake, from which both sides will lose not only politically, but also in business, geopolitical and reputational aspects.

Historical memory, domestic politics, presidential ambitions and interests of Russia. The story of the attempt to deprive Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle became a litmus test for the state of Polish-Ukrainian relations in 2026. About this in the article “Order of Discord”. Anatomy of a political demarche,” says Petr Katerinich.