Ukraine and Poland face rift over proposed ban on Ukrainian nationalist symbols

Published August 25, 2025 6:22pm ET



A proposed Polish ban on certain Ukrainian nationalist symbols is causing a rift between Ukraine and Poland, one of Kyiv’s closest relationships in its war against Russia.

On Monday, Polish President Karol Nawrocki proposed a law banning “Bandera symbols,” referring to the controversial Ukrainian nationalist leader Stepan Bandera. He argued that the move would benefit Polish-Ukrainian relations as it would disprove “Russian propaganda,” but the proposal already sparked outrage in Ukraine.

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