Week of October 19

2026-W43: Oct 19 – October 25, 2026
FINAL: Last update October 23, 2026
COUNTRIES IN THE NEWS: Ukraine
Russia
Belarus
United States
NEWS LANGUAGE: English
Polski (original)

Tusk says he "completely fails to understand" Lviv's UPA resolution as Kraków weighs suspending cooperation

First published Wed, Oct 21

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

Lviv's city authorities adopted a resolution on the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a decision that drew a sharp response from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who said he "completely fails to understand" it. The resolution also prompted a reaction from Ukraine's foreign ministry.1 2

A new voice from President Volodymyr Zelensky's office weighed in on what Polish outlets described as a scandalous decision by the Lviv local government, saying "we cannot ignore" it. Ukraine's foreign ministry issued its own response to the Lviv resolution.3 2

Kraków's new mayor made his first decisions, including on tickets and on suspending cooperation with Lviv. Kraków's Jacek Majchrowski-era ties to the Ukrainian city now hang on that step, which Polish outlets tied directly to the UPA resolution.4 5

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski signed a request for a travel ban into Poland against a Lviv city councillor. The ban follows the councillor's role in the UPA resolution dispute.6

Attributed claim: WP Wiadomości / Interia Wydarzenia / Onet: Polish right-leaning outlets focused on who stands behind the declared Year of Roman Shukhevych in Lviv, describing the figure behind it as a fan of a "pocket Hitler" and a professional provocateur. Centrist outlets led instead with Tusk's warning to Ukraine and the foreign ministry's reaction.7 1 2

Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz quits Tusk's government, saying values matter more than posts

First published Fri, Oct 23

Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz is leaving the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. She framed the departure around principle, saying values matter more to her than posts.1 2 3 4

Pełczyńska-Nałęcz was the minister who most often fell into disputes with the prime minister and coalition partners, according to the Polish Press Agency. Onet, citing its own sources, reported two reasons behind her exit.5 2

Talks on a replacement were scheduled for the same day, with RMF24 reporting that discussions about a new minister were to take place that day.6

A PiS politician defended Pełczyńska-Nałęcz against criticism from a PO member of the European Parliament, saying she had been inconvenient for them.7

Polish court acquits soldier who shot migrant on Belarus border; defence minister responds

First published Wed, Oct 21

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

A Polish court has acquitted a soldier who shot a migrant while serving on the border with Belarus. The case concerned a shooting that occurred during a pursuit, and the soldier was on duty at the border at the time. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, and politicians commented on it afterward.1 2 3 4

Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz responded to the ruling, saying the soldier had been provided with help. He stated that the soldier was acquitted and that no Polish soldier would be left alone. The minister's comments were carried in reports on the verdict.1 5 6

Attributed claim: Dziennik.pl / Interia Wydarzenia / TVN24: One account describes the shooting as accidental, saying the soldier accidentally shot the migrant at the border before being acquitted. Other reports describe the soldier as having shot the migrant during a pursuit while on border duty, without characterising the shooting as accidental.6 2 3

The acquittal drew political comment, with the right-leaning outlet wPolityce describing the ruling as the end of a shameful spectacle and saying the court stood firmly behind a defender of the border. The verdict closes the court proceedings against the soldier over the border shooting.7 1

Putin says Russia is ready for talks after meeting Trump envoy Witkoff

First published Fri, Oct 23

Vladimir Putin spoke publicly after meeting Steve Witkoff, the US envoy sent by Donald Trump, and said Russia is ready for negotiations. He also addressed Europe in his remarks, and Polish outlets reported his comments on "one nation" and on ending the war.1 2 3

Russia and Ukraine are to resume peace negotiations, with details of the arrangement reported. Moscow agreed to three-way talks, though one condition was attached to that agreement.4 5

A US peace proposal put to Russia includes a point concerning Europe, and a draft agreement circulating has drawn scrutiny. Volodymyr Zelensky extended an offer and spoke of freezing the fighting, which WP Wiadomości described as a clear signal.6 7 8

Interia Wydarzenia, a centrist outlet, assessed the draft peace agreement as leaving much to think about and cast Putin as the big winner. Behind the scenes in the EU, European capitals were described as searching for someone to restrain Putin.8 9

An RCB alert was issued near the border, and Polish services were active overnight as the talks news broke. The alert was reported alongside the account of Putin's remarks following the Witkoff meeting.3 10

Poland scrambles fighter jets and issues RCB alert for two voivodeships as Russia strikes western Ukraine

First published Fri, Oct 23

Russian strikes on western Ukraine on Friday prompted Poland to put its fighter jets in the air and send RCB emergency alerts to residents. The alerts covered two voivodeships, and the RCB later widened the warning. Polish military aviation was operating in Polish airspace during the alert.1 2 3 4

The RCB alert reached phones across the affected area, with WP Wiadomości reporting an urgent warning for 18 powiatów. The alert text stated that Polish aviation was operating in the airspace of the Republic of Poland.5 3

The Polish military issued its own communiqué on the Russian attack on Ukraine as the jets went up. The strikes were reported in western Ukraine, near the Polish border.6 7 8

The alert was first reported for two voivodeships and then extended, with the RCB broadening its warning as the attack continued.9 4 1

Also this week

Published earlier this week and since overtaken by bigger stories. Open one to read it in full.

Unidentified object falls onto a property in Lubaczów as Polish services secure the siteThu, Oct 22An unidentified object fell in Lubaczów in the Podkarpacie region, landing on a private property. Services are working at the site, and a search and security operation is under way.

Unidentified object falls onto a property in Lubaczów as Polish services secure the site

First published Thu, Oct 22

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

An unidentified object fell in Lubaczów in the Podkarpacie region, landing on a private property. Services are working at the site, and a search and security operation is under way.1 2 3 4 5

Attributed claim: Accounts of the object differ in description. Onet reported that the object resembled a drone, while Gazeta described it as an unknown unmanned object; other outlets called it simply unidentified or suspect.6 1 3

The reports were published on Wednesday and Thursday, with the first accounts appearing on Wednesday and follow-ups the next day. Fakt reported that services were checking for a threat.4 7 8

No source states the object's origin, and no casualties or damage were reported. The services' operation at the site in Lubaczów was still ongoing in the latest accounts.5 8

Święczkowski offers to resign as Constitutional Tribunal president on one conditionThu, Oct 22Bogdan Święczkowski, president of Poland's Constitutional Tribunal, said he is ready to step down from the post but attached a condition to the resignation. He also raised the prospect of amending the constitution as part of a settlement over the tribunal.

Święczkowski offers to resign as Constitutional Tribunal president on one condition

First published Thu, Oct 22

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

Bogdan Święczkowski, president of Poland's Constitutional Tribunal, said he is ready to step down from the post but attached a condition to the resignation. He also raised the prospect of amending the constitution as part of a settlement over the tribunal.1 2 3

Święczkowski directed the condition at Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Justice Minister Adam Żurek, saying he would leave the tribunal if they met it. He described himself as ready to give up his mandate as a tribunal judge.4 5 6

Święczkowski said he would have brought charges against Tusk and explained why he did not do so. He also addressed Tusk's recent remarks about the tribunal and called for an agreement on the institution.7 2

Attributed claim: Right-leaning wPolityce reported on the behind-the-scenes circumstances of the case, framing its account around the claim that Tusk could have gone to prison. Centrist outlets Onet and Polskie Radio 24 led instead with Święczkowski's conditional resignation offer and his talk of constitutional change.8 1 3

Polish police detain Wojciech Olszański, known as "Jaszczur", to serve a court-ordered sentenceThu, Oct 22Polish police detained Wojciech Olszański, who uses the nickname "Jaszczur", on Thursday. Interior Minister Kierwiński disclosed details of the operation, and Olszański is to serve a sentence imposed by a court.

Polish police detain Wojciech Olszański, known as "Jaszczur", to serve a court-ordered sentence

First published Thu, Oct 22

Polish police detained Wojciech Olszański, who uses the nickname "Jaszczur", on Thursday. Interior Minister Kierwiński disclosed details of the operation, and Olszański is to serve a sentence imposed by a court.1 2 3 4

The detention drew comment from figures beyond the interior ministry. WP Wiadomości reported a "zero tolerance" statement from Żurek following the arrest.5 1

Outlets across the political spectrum carried the arrest the same day, from the right-leaning Gazeta and WP Wiadomości to the centre-left TVN24 and the centrist PolsatNews.pl and Interia Wydarzenia. None of the accounts cited by the sources disputed the fact of the detention or the reason given for it.4 5 2 3 1

Tusk signs motion to make Domański deputy prime minister as presidential palace pushes backWed, Oct 21Prime Minister Donald Tusk signed a motion to promote Finance Minister Andrzej Domański to deputy prime minister. The presidential palace responded to the move, and Tusk warned the president over the nomination.

Tusk signs motion to make Domański deputy prime minister as presidential palace pushes back

First published Wed, Oct 21

Ruled paragraphs are attributed to the outlet named in them, not stated as established fact.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk signed a motion to promote Finance Minister Andrzej Domański to deputy prime minister. The presidential palace responded to the move, and Tusk warned the president over the nomination.1 2 3

One minister is said to be disappointed by the choice, having quietly counted on taking the deputy prime minister post himself. The promotion was also read inside the Civic Coalition as a signal to its coalition partners.4 5

The nomination has drawn sharp reactions from people around the president, and commentators described the minister as a symbol of catastrophe. A PiS MP's accusations during a Sejm session turned into a heated exchange with the minister and the deputy marshal.6 7 8

Attributed claim: Legal assessments differ on whether President Karol Nawrocki can block the appointment. Konkret24 reported the president may refuse to appoint a deputy prime minister in only one case, while Fakt published a lawyer's assessment of whether Nawrocki can stop the promotion.9 10

Wiplera former clients paid 6.7 million zloty and got Sejm invitations, Polish outlets reportWed, Oct 21Former business clients of Przemysław Wipler, a Konfederacja member of the Sejm, paid 6.7 million zloty to companies linked to him and later received invitations to the Sejm, Polish outlets reported. The payments sit at the junction of business and politics, and the reports describe Wipler handling the affairs of firms that had earlier paid him large sums.

Wiplera former clients paid 6.7 million zloty and got Sejm invitations, Polish outlets report

First published Wed, Oct 21

Former business clients of Przemysław Wipler, a Konfederacja member of the Sejm, paid 6.7 million zloty to companies linked to him and later received invitations to the Sejm, Polish outlets reported. The payments sit at the junction of business and politics, and the reports describe Wipler handling the affairs of firms that had earlier paid him large sums.1 2 3

The reports prompted calls of "Wipler oddaj mandat!" (Wipler, give up your mandate) and a public storm over the findings. Wipler withdrew from a programme after the Wirtualna Polska article, and coverage turned to the scale of his assets.4 5 6

UOKiK, the competition and consumer protection office, alerted ABW, the internal security agency, about the Konfederacja MP's activities, Money.pl reported. The referral is the institutional thread running through the disclosures.7 5

Polish Pegasus inquiry adopts final report after two years of hearingsWed, Oct 21A Polish parliamentary inquiry into the Pegasus spyware adopted its final report at its last sitting, closing two years of work and hearings. The committee's chair, Sroka, said the panel would review amendments on Wednesday and vote on adopting the final report.

Polish Pegasus inquiry adopts final report after two years of hearings

First published Wed, Oct 21

A Polish parliamentary inquiry into the Pegasus spyware adopted its final report at its last sitting, closing two years of work and hearings. The committee's chair, Sroka, said the panel would review amendments on Wednesday and vote on adopting the final report.1 2 3 4 5

The inquiry examined findings on Pegasus. Polskie Radio 24 reported that Polish services could have surveilled citizens but not Russians.5 1 2 3 4