Sikorski on the Polish approach to the Volhynia massacre: On October 13, Radosław Sikorski delivered a speech in Toruń, during which he addressed the Volhynia massacre, among other topics. "In Poland, there is national consensus on the exhumation of the victims of the Volhynia massacre. The issue of exhuming the victims is not a political matter, it should not be subject to bargaining, but is a Christian duty," said the foreign minister, as quoted by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
The Foreign Minister addresses Ukrainian authorities: Sikorski pointed out that over the past few decades, more than 100,000 Wehrmacht soldiers have been buried in Ukraine. He stated that these were rightful actions. He then added, "I have one request" to the authorities in Kyiv. "Treat the victims of the Volhynia massacre no worse than Wehrmacht soldiers," he urged.
Volhynia massacre and Ukraine's EU membership: Radosław Sikorski emphasized that granting permission for the exhumation of the victims of the Volhynia massacre is crucial in the context of Ukraine's accession to the European Union. "The sooner the Ukrainian side fulfills this, the sooner this issue will disappear from our bilateral relations, and the less of a burden it will be in Ukraine’s EU accession process. It is in Ukraine's interest," Sikorski stated.
Sikorski previously spoke about Volhynia on September 16. "Something really needs to happen. We must stop playing politics with this issue. Every country's history has painful moments. Every nation has done something that is not a source of pride," emphasized the Foreign Minister. The politician stressed that "there is a Christian duty: to bury the dead." "We don't want to politicize this. But for Poland, it is a pressing political issue because those Poles have descendants. The entire population of those lands was resettled to the territories of modern-day Poland. These people have relatives who vote in elections. Therefore, it is a political matter. The victims of this massacre must be given a Christian burial. That is all we are asking for," he emphasized.
