Poland's PiS Prime Ministerial Candidate Calls for Halt in EU Arms Funding to Ukraine

• Przemysław Czarnek, the Law & Justice (PiS) candidate for prime minister, has called on the EU to halt funding for Ukrainian arms until Ukraine abandons state-level glorification of the OUN-UPA.
• This move marks a strategic shift for PiS as it attempts to counter the rising popularity of the Confederation party, which maintains a hardline stance on Ukraine.
• The proposal highlights deepening friction between Poland and Ukraine, exacerbated by disputes over history, defense deals, and rhetoric from both sides.

The Context of the Dispute

• Relations have deteriorated due to several factors:
  • Controversies over the Volhynia Genocide, leading to the revocation of honors from Volodymyr Zelensky.
  • The abandonment of a drones-for-MiGs agreement.
  • Aggressive rhetoric from Ukrainian officials and intelligence leaders towards Poland.
  • Ukraine's plans for a "national pantheon" that includes OUN-UPA figures.

Domestic Political Implications

• The current ruling coalition, led by Donald Tusk, has rejected such rhetoric, labeling Czarnek's position as dangerous and dismissive of the broader security context.
• Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of PiS, has publicly criticized the call, reaffirming the party's historical support for arming Ukraine, which included €3 billion in aid from 2022 to 2023.
• Polling data from CBOS indicates a potential conservative coalition shift, with PiS (23.6%), Confederation (18.7%), and KKP (9.6%) representing a significant portion of the electorate that has soured on current Ukraine policies.