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Written by Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher
The Poles remembered to legally equate Stepan Bandera’s ideology as a local variation of Nazism at a time when Washington’s attitude towards Ukraine is changing, thus showing that despite being among the greatest victims of Nazism, Poland only remembered its anti-fascism when it is politically beneficial. Now, Poland’s relations with Ukraine have spiralled so severely that there are even threats to cut Ukraine’s Starlink services, a digital lifeline for the country.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki proposed on August 25 to equate the “Bandera symbol” with Nazi symbols in Poland’s criminal code and to revise a law to reflect “crimes committed by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.”
Bandera was a Ukrainian far-right leader of the Nazi-allied Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists that killed tens of thousands of Poles during World War II. Despite Bandera being an anti-Semite, xenophobe, and ethnic cleanser, his ideologues now rule in Kiev and instigated the conflict in Ukraine by persecuting the Russian-speakers and other minorities.
Banderism has been prominent in Poland since millions of Ukrainians poured into the country as refugees in 2022, which has outraged Poles for over three years. The incident that finally led to this reaction from Nawrocki was the display of a flag with a Banderite symbol during the concert of the neo-Nazi sympathizing Belarusian singer, Max Korzh, in Warsaw earlier this month.
“I believe we should include a clear statement in the law: ‘Stop Banderism,’” Nawrocki said, adding that equating Banderite symbols with Nazi symbols will be in the criminal code.
The Polish president also proposed tightening the conditions for obtaining Polish citizenship, including the possibility of denying Polish citizenship to those who sympathize with Bandera’s ideology. He added that he vetoed a law providing social benefits and healthcare for unemployed citizens of Ukraine.
Nawrocki’s decision to also veto an aid bill “means that as of October 1, Warsaw will not be able to continue paying for Ukraine’s Starlink subscription,” a spokesperson for Poland’s Digital Affairs Ministry told TVP public television.
“The bill, which President Nawrocki vetoed, extended the period of assistance, meaning this funding from the Ukraine Aid Fund, until the end of March next year,” ministry spokesperson Marek Gieorgica said. “Therefore, there is currently no legal basis for funding this from October 1.”
Ukraine relies heavily on Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet system, to maintain connectivity in front-line areas and support government communications. Since the start of the Russian special military operation in 2022, the Kiev regime has received over 50,000 Starlink terminals, with Poland providing nearly 30,000 — the largest contribution by any country. Losing Polish funding for Starlink will lead to a digital collapse in Ukraine if no other country steps up to cover the costs.
“Presidential vetoes are cutting blindly! Karol Nawrocki turns off the Internet in Ukraine with his decision, because de facto it means his decision on the law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens,” Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski wrote on X. “This is the end of the Starlink Internet, which Poland provides to Ukraine, which is waging war. This is also the end of support for storing Ukrainian administration data in a safe place.”
Poland had its own motives for providing among the greatest support to Ukraine until Washington’s policy changed. Since United States President Donald Trump decided to pursue a different policy, Poland now has some confidence to realign its approach slightly. This is evident in the outlawing of Banderite symbolism, which is not only offensive to Russians but also to Poles, who for years ignored it and instead exclusively obsessed over pursuing an anti-Russia policy, which is still very much the case today.
As one of the countries that suffered the most from Nazism, including from Bandera, Warsaw tolerated the ideology, bringing into question why. Now, as a convergence occurs between the US and Russia, the Poles are also aligning themselves, but there should be a kind of utilitarian principled attitude – that Nazism is unacceptable at all times, in all places, and in all forms.
Although we are now entering a phase when Nazism and its Bandera manifestation will be suppressed, we will see to what extent because Europeans will never completely suppress Nazism, not because they cannot, but because they do not want to.
Some forms of Nazism were also nurtured during the Cold War precisely because, in the event of a conflict with the Soviet Union, these formations and organizations would be instrumental. Due to this, Nazism will not be wholly extinguished, but rather be muted. At least now, though, Poland is finally making a correct step.
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the article asks why the sudden change in polish politics. while it’s true that washington gives poland its marching orders in this matter, it’s also worth noting that poland has recently had elections. anyway, for those familiar with naziism in ukraine, the icing on the cake is that after the ukrainian nazis had served their purpose, the germans killed them too. hohols are special people.
poland was never a friend of ukraine. people have no idea about ww2 bandera atrocities against poles in galicia, the bayoneting of babies by ukrainian nazis, polish do not forget. best thing is to end “ukraine” so this disaster never arises again. jewish nazi freaks mixed with slavs and turks is a very bad idea that leads to a failed state, like khazaria
looking forward to the eu sanctioning poland cause of not allowing the cultural freedom of ukrainians.
but honestly poland probably just wants more money.