Cardinals and the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Call for Reconciliation Between Poles and Ukrainians
Cardinals of the Catholic Church from Poland and Ukraine, together with the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, issued a joint statement today, June 29, on Ukrainian-Polish relations. The document was signed by Cardinals Mykola Bychok, Konrad Krajewski, Kazimierz Nycz, Grzegorz Ryś, and His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś at the consistory in the Vatican on June 26, 2026. Photo: Vatican Media
The statement was released on the day the Catholic Church commemorates the memory of Saints Peter and Paul. It was presented simultaneously in Rome and Kyiv, underscoring the unity of its authors’ position and their commitment to the path of dialogue and reconciliation between Poles and Ukrainians.
The cardinals emphasize that they are speaking out together with the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church because the issue of reconciliation between Poles and Ukrainians “concerns not only relations between our two peoples, but also the authenticity of our common Christian witness.”
The Pop’s closest collaborators issued the statement in solidarity with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, whose pontificate has been “marked by tireless efforts to build peace based on the common good and by resolute opposition to war in all its forms.”
The signatories express concern over “mounting tensions and the resurgence of hostile sentiments between Poles and Ukrainians.” They emphasize that this is especially painful at a time when Ukraine continues to endure the horrors of war and Poland has shown remarkable solidarity with millions of Ukrainians.
The authors draw on the legacy of Saint John Paul II and his letter marking the 60th anniversary of the tragic events in Volhynia (Vatican, July 7, 2003), calling for “looking upon one another with the eyes of reconciliation.”
The hierarchs recall the long history of cooperation between the two peoples and their Churches—years of prayer, meetings, joint letters (2005), declarations (2013), and messages (2023). They regard this legacy as a great responsibility and affirm: “We feel a duty not to abandon the common path begun with the blessing of Saint John Paul II, but to pursue it with patience and courage.”
The statement places particular emphasis on personal conversion: “We are aware that conversion begins in our own hearts. (…) We can call others to conversion only when we ourselves humbly acknowledge our own sins.”
The signatories also caution against “negative memory,” which focuses one’s attention solely on evil, especially when it has been committed by others.
In conclusion, the cardinals and the Head of the UGCC call for people to be guided by the common good rather than merely personal interests, recalling the Gospel truth: “The remedy for sin is forgiveness, and the limit that God has set for evil is mercy.”
“There is too much that unites our peoples to allow our shared heritage to be neglected,” the statement concludes.
The full text of the statement is available at the following links: in Ukrainian, Polish, and Italian.
The UGCC Department for Information
