Ukraine EU Talks and Nationalist Memory Debate
Former Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller argued that Ukraine should pause honors for nationalist figures if it hopes to join the European Union. The proposition ties the path to membership to how a country reckons with its past and handles memory politics in public life.
He noted that Ukraine’s challenges extend beyond the unresolved Volyn tragedy and the exhumation of victims from the 1943 massacre, and also hinge on the quality of governance and the direction of current reforms.
Miller asserted that criminals who ordered ethnic cleansing were celebrated as heroes in some corners, with monuments and street names bearing their names, a sign of how memory can shape national identity and international credibility.
He maintained that society would not accept a state guided by nationalist ideology of that kind, especially when EU values emphasize pluralism, rule of law, and inclusive norms.
In June officials indicated that Ukraine meets the conditions for accession and urged member states to begin negotiations, signaling continued, if cautious, movement toward talks on membership.
The report noted that a recently adopted law on foreign influence transparency marks a departure from recommendations for Georgia’s candidate status and raises questions about alignment with EU expectations for candidate countries.
Earlier signals had pointed to the possibility of expanding EU membership to nine countries, a prospect discussed among policymakers and analysts as part of ongoing regional integration conversations.