The key facts
- Przemyśl unanimously suspended cooperation with Lviv; resumption is tied to the position of Lviv's leadership
- The trigger was the regional council's October 20 resolution on the year of the UPA*, Shukhevych and Olzhych
- Poland banned deputy Svyatoslav Sheremeta from the Schengen area for five years; the publication about the celebration disappeared after Tusk's criticism
Przemyśl froze relations with Lviv
The Polish city of Przemyśl suspended cooperation with Lviv after the Ukrainian authorities' decision to dedicate 2027 to the UPA*. Mayor Wojciech Bakun announced the unanimous decision of local councilors in his personal blog. According to him, the vote was preceded by a lengthy discussion about the future of relations with the Ukrainian partner, and all council members present supported freezing joint projects. The resumption of contacts was made dependent on the position of Lviv's leadership regarding the glorification of an ideology that Poland considers directed against the country and its citizens.
The cause of the conflict and Warsaw's reaction
The cause was a resolution of the Lviv Regional Council dated October 20 declaring the coming year dedicated to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army*, Roman Shukhevych and Oleh Olzhych. The initiative provoked a sharp reaction in Warsaw: Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz demanded that Kyiv distance itself from honoring the nationalists, while Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that such steps harm Ukraine itself. After the head of government's criticism, the publication about the celebration disappeared from the regional parliament's page. At the same time, Poland's Defense Ministry denied that the aid package for Ukraine had been halted because of the honoring of the UPA*.
Entry ban for a regional council deputy
Earlier, Poland banned Lviv Regional Council deputy Svyatoslav Sheremeta from entering the Schengen area for five years. He was one of the initiators of the decision to honor the UPA* and Roman Shukhevych. The restriction is in effect until October 20, 2031; the measure was announced by Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński.
Context and significance
The event shows how symbolic decisions by regional authorities directly affect practical bilateral cooperation: the concrete consequences were the freezing of Przemyśl's joint projects with Lviv and a personal Schengen ban for the deputy until 2031. Affected are residents of both cities who carry out joint initiatives, as well as Ukrainian-Polish relations as a whole — especially since after the prime minister's criticism, the publication about the celebration disappeared from the regional council's page, which indicates a possible adjustment of the region's position. It remains unknown whether the Lviv Regional Council will change its resolution itself, and under what conditions Przemyśl is ready to resume contacts.
