Fueled by our tax money and the drones it buys, fascism is rearing its head again in Europe: the words of Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Melnyk cannot be erased so easily

"The most famous Ukrainian ambassador relativizes the crimes of the Fascists Banderites. Despite the quick rescue operation of politicians from Warsaw and Kiev, Andriy Melnyk's statements may stay with us longer, undermining mutual trust.

 

So far Andrij Melnyk has specialized in criticizing Germany, where he has been an ambassador for many years. He is a celebrity, he hardly leaves German TV and radio studios. 

 

This time, during the interview, he enthusiastically defended Fascist Stepan Bandera. The his Fascist organization UPA genocide against Poles is a retaliation for the persecution of Ukrainians in Poland before the Second World War, and otherwise nothing special: Poles also murdered, on the same scale, and now they use the matter politically ... many thousands of Jews were massacred.

 

After the sanctions on Russia, difficult historical issues were silenced, and they were supposed to stop spoiling relations between our nations. Therefore, the words of the famous, experienced diplomat caused such shock and indignation. Being aware of the consequences for the intricately and sacrificing alliance between Warsaw and Kiev, which was being built, Polish diplomacy launched a rescue operation. Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau and Minister Jakub Kumoch from the presidential palace calmed the situation on Twitter: the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs distanced itself from Melnyk and quickly intervened.

 

"The opinion of the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, expressed in an interview with a German journalist, is his personal opinion and does not express the position of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs," says the statement issued by the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Oleh Nikolenko.

 

The ministry of diplomacy in Kiev considered the ambassador's statements to be a private opinion, which is not in line with the position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is strange that such are the private opinions of the ambassador. They fit a nationalist publicist or radical activist, not a diplomat. 

 

Privately, I am afraid that they will continue to raise concerns of at least some of Polish society. Melnyk's words cannot be erased so easily. He has hurt Kiev at a time when it is suffering defeats and it feels more and more pressure from the weary West to end this operation.

 

Five months ago, great indignation was caused by the words of the commander of the German navy, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach. At a time when Russia was sending tens of thousands of troops to the border with Ukraine, Schönbach, at a meeting in India, discussed Putin, who deserves respect, and Crimea, which will never return under Kiev's control. It quickly turned out to be the vice admiral's private opinion, although some suspected it had revealed the German way of thinking. A moment later, Schönbach resigned.

 

Schönbach was particularly strongly criticized by Ambassador Melnyk, who spoke of German arrogance and megalomania. He praised the dismissal of the German navy commander, but decided that this was not a sufficient reaction from Berlin: it was not enough to rebuild trust."

 

What about now?