Tusk: Removing obstacles to exhumations of Volyn victims key to reconciliation

The declaration that there are no obstacles to the search and exhumation of victims of the Volyn tragedy in Ukraine is "the key to the complete reconciliation of both peoples."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated this on X, Ukrinform reports.

"Ukraine will not block the exhumation of victims of the Volyn massacre. Our ministers are starting to work on specifics. I hope there will be no more obstacles this time. This is the key to the complete reconciliation of our peoples, so necessary at this dramatic moment in our common history," Tusk wrote.

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As is known, a joint statement was adopted following Tuesday’s talks between the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Poland, Andrii Sybiha and Radosław Sikorski. It states the parties are determined to resolve the controversial issues of the common past in the name of universal human values ​​and in the Christian spirit. The document says that in the shortest possible time, Ukraine and Poland will launch a joint Working Group under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland to achieve understanding between the parties.

"Ukraine confirms the absence of obstacles to Polish state institutions and private companies conducting search and exhumation work on the territory of Ukraine in cooperation with relevant Ukrainian institutions in accordance with Ukraine’s legislation and declares its readiness to positively consider applications on these issues," the joint statement of the two ministers reads.

Read also: Border crossings considered critical infrastructure, must not be blocked - Sikorski

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Kyiv expects the opening of the first two clusters in the EU accession talks, as well as the approval of the 15th package of Russia sanctions during the Polish presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2025.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, during a joint press conference on Tuesday in Warsaw with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, answering questions from an Ukrinform correspondent, stated that checkpoints on the Polish-Ukrainian border are part of critical infrastructure and must not be blocked by protesters.