Speaking after returning from an EU-Western Balkans summit in Montenegro, Tusk described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to grant a military unit the honorary title "Heroes of the UPA," in reference to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), as an "unfortunate incident."
The move has sparked criticism in Poland, where the UPA is associated with the wartime massacres of Poles in the Volhynia and Eastern Galicia regions of what was then German-occupied Poland.
President Karol Nawrocki said he was outraged by the decision and announced that the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle would meet on Monday to discuss whether Zelensky should be stripped of Poland's highest state honour.
Tusk said Nawrocki's reaction was understandable, although he might have responded differently.
"No one will divide the Polish authorities or the public on the issue of Russia's war against Ukraine, but also on questions of history and the past," Tusk said.
He added that Poland's main political forces remained united in their approach to both Ukraine and Russia despite domestic political disputes.
"Let no one try to divide the government, the president or anyone else regarding our assessment of what happened recently in Kyiv," Tusk said. "We will maintain unity on Russian and Ukrainian issues together with the president and all serious political forces in Poland."
'Crisis of trust'
The prime minister said he had urged Ukrainian officials to take seriously what he described as an "obvious crisis of trust" stemming from historical sensitivities and suggested Kyiv should find a solution to the problem it had created.
"I suggested to the Ukrainian side that it look for a solution. It created this problem itself, so it should look for a way out," Tusk said.
He told reporters that both Polish and Ukrainian political leaders had a responsibility to respect each other's historical sensitivities.
Tusk also noted that Poland and Ukraine are due to co-host a conference on Ukraine's postwar reconstruction in the Baltic city of Gdańsk later this month, saying it was in Ukraine's interest for the event to take place "in a positive atmosphere."
He said responsibility for resolving the dispute rested with Kyiv.
"I fully understand that Ukrainians honour those who fought against the Soviet invader, but I would not understand honouring those who murdered Poles, given that Poland is, after all, Ukraine's closest ally," Tusk said.
He warned that if the issue remained unresolved, bilateral relations could become driven more by practical interests than mutual understanding.
Empathy vs. 'hard business'
"If not, it will mean that not empathy but hard business will determine our relations," he said.
His remarks came as senior Ukrainian official Kyrylo Budanov arrived in Warsaw for two days of talks with Polish officials aimed at addressing the dispute.
According to Poland's foreign ministry, Friday's talks focused on the naming of the military unit and possible ways to resolve the issue.
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has urged Ukrainian authorities to reconsider the decision, saying it causes Poles "deep pain, anxiety and opposition."
Zelensky received the Order of the White Eagle from then-President Andrzej Duda in April 2023 in recognition of his role in strengthening Polish-Ukrainian relations and defending democracy, peace and security in Europe.
Under Polish law, the president may revoke a state decoration if the recipient is found to have become unworthy of the honour. While awarding decorations does not require the prime minister's countersignature, the constitution does not explicitly exempt decisions to revoke them from that requirement, state news agency PAP reported.
Asked earlier on Friday whether he would countersign a decision to strip Zelensky of the award, Tusk said the issue would likely be addressed early next week.
Ukraine's foreign ministry has said Zelensky's decision to name the unit was not directed against Poland. Spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi last week said the strong reaction in Poland was regrettable because it ran counter to broader efforts over the past 18 months to resolve difficult issues in Polish-Ukrainian relations.
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Source: IAR, PAP