After President Volodymyr Zelensky named a military unit after Ukrainian partisans from World War II, a major dispute erupted between Poland and Ukraine. On June 5 Kyiv Post spoke with historian Dr. Łukasz Adamski, Director of the Mieroszewski Centre, about the roots of the conflict. Michał Kujawski: Is the latest dispute in Polish-Ukrainian relations just another chapter in a long-running historical conflict, or is it something bigger?JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Łukasz Adamski: This is not merely a conflict over the interpretation of history. It is also a political conflict. Political disputes can usually be managed, but this one is rooted in identity and dignity. Because it is deeply embedded in collective and national identity, it is not easy to resolve. The current dispute is not simply about differing interpretations of events during World War II. From the Ukrainian perspective, the key question is whether Ukraine has the right to shape its own memory policy and choose its own national heroes, and whether it can expect understanding from Poland. Mythologized history serves a mobilizing function both in society and in the military fighting against Russian aggression. From the Polish perspective, however, different questions arise – questions that are also connected to dignity and identity. Should Ukraine, which has received such far-reaching solidarity from Poland, both from the state and society, honor individuals responsible for the massacres of Poles in Volhynia? Does glorifying perpetrators of ethnic violence not demonstrate a lack of respect and an instrumental approach toward Poland? For Poles, this is about defending the memory of their own victims.