Warsaw: Poland's defense chief on Saturday announced his meeting with a senior envoy of President Volodymyr Zelensky, voicing objections to Ukraine's decision to name a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).

According to Anadolu Agency, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz took to the US social media platform X to share details of his discussion with Kyrylo Budanov, a senior representative from the Ukrainian president's office. Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that the memory of the victims of the Volhynia massacres remains "not subject to negotiation." He reiterated the importance of honesty in historical matters to foster a shared future between Poland and Ukraine.

The current discord arises from the controversial legacy of the UPA, a nationalist group that fought for Ukrainian independence during and after World War II. While Ukraine honors the UPA for its resistance against Nazi and Soviet forces, Poland associates the group with the Volhynia massacres of 1943-44. During these events, Polish historians report that tens of thousands of Polish civilians were killed by UPA units and local collaborators in Volhynia and eastern Galicia. Poland's parliament has officially labeled these killings as genocide.

Despite Poland's steadfast support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia, the historical issue has frequently strained relations between the two nations. Recent reports of a Ukrainian military unit being named after the "Heroes of the UPA" have reignited tensions, drawing criticism from Polish politicians across the political spectrum.