In a video appeal to the Polish people, Ukrainian students and activists tell that Ukraine and Poland have many sad pages in their history, and asks to talk about their common past without quarrels, but with mutual understanding.
“Enmity between our nations once led to loss of statehood and independence for Ukraine and Poland, to thousands of killed Ukrainians and Poles,” the participants state, and appeal to the Polish people to not allow irresponsible politicians to repeat this scenario, which Russia, now threatening western countries with invasion, is waiting for.
The authors of the appeal stress that the time has come for the two nations to say “we forgive and ask for forgiveness.”
The appeal is also available in Polish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3unWJsdOxE
After the change of government in Poland, Ukrainian-Polish relations started going through hard times, the stumbling stone being the interpretation of the Volyn tragedy of 1943-1944, a series of ethnic cleansings of Poles perpetrated by the Organization of Ukrainian nationalists revolting against Polish politics of repression against national minorities. A letter penned by representatives of the Ukrainian elite asking for a day of mutual remembrance for the victims was received with mixed attitudes in Polish society. On 11 July 2016, the Polish Sejm is to vote on the subject of classifying the Volyn Tragedy as genocide.
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