Polish-Ukrainian Relations: History, Contemporary Challenges, and the Path Forward
Date and time:
Tuesday 12 May, 2026
19:00 - 20:30
Location:
The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in the UK
47 Portland Place
London
W1B 1JH
Join us for a conversation between historian Andrii Portnov and political scientist Ernest Wyciszkiewicz tracing the complex and often turbulent history of Ukrainian-Polish relations that continue to shape both nations today. Against the backdrop of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, the speakers will examine how historical memory, political dynamics, and cultural ties influence the current relationship between the two countries. As well as discussing the present moment, Portnov and Wyciszkiewicz will explore what shape a more resilient Ukrainian-Polish partnership might take in the years ahead, and why the success of this relationship matters for the future of Europe as a whole.
This event is co-organised by the Ukrainian Institute London and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in the UK. The discussion will be followed by a networking reception.
Speaker
Professor Andrii Portnov
Professor Andrii Portnov is a Ukrainian and German historian and Professor at the Pilecki Institute. He has taught the history and culture of Central and Eastern Europe at the Universities of Berlin, Potsdam, Brussels, Geneva and Krakow. He is an Associate Member of the Viadrina Centre of Polish and Ukrainian Studies, and Director of the PRISMA UKRAЇNA Research Network Eastern Europe in Berlin. His overview of entangled Polish-Ukrainian history and memory has been published in English, German, Polish and Ukrainian.
Speaker
Dr Ernest Wyciszkiewicz
Dr Ernest Wyciszkiewiczis a political scientist and Director of the Juliusz Mieroszewski Centre for Dialogue. He previously served as the Centre’s Deputy Director and worked at the Polish Institute of International Affairs. He specialises in Russian foreign policy, EU–Russia relations, international sanctions, energy security, Polish foreign policy, and the politics of memory. He is also a member of the editorial board of AREI: Journal for Central and Eastern European History and Politics.
Moderator
Dr Olesya Khromeychuk
Olesya Khromeychuk is the Director of the Ukrainian Institute London. She is a historian and writer. She has taught the history of East-Central Europe at several British universities, and has written for The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, Der Spiegel, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and Prospect. Khromeychuk is the author of The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister (2022) and “Undetermined” Ukrainians. Post-War Narratives of the Waffen SS “Galicia” Division (2013).
