Zelenskyy Announces New Policy on Poland Relations and Volhynia Archives

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced a new policy to reset relations with Poland, which includes opening state archives regarding 20th-century events in the Volhynia region.

Key points

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged to increase the number of permits for search and exhumation operations in the Volhynia region.
• The initiative includes opening all archives held by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
• The Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, led by Oleksandr Alferov, will receive increased support to facilitate expanded dialogue.
• The announcement follows the Polish Sejm's adoption of a resolution regarding the Volhynia tragedy.

Why it matters

This policy shift aims to address historical tensions between Ukraine and Poland, fostering a more constructive bilateral relationship through transparency and cooperation on sensitive historical issues.