Poland’s president, Karol Nawrocki, has decided to revoke the country’s highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. This decision comes after Zelenskiy renamed a Ukrainian army unit to honor the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a nationalist group responsible for massacring Poles during World War Two. Nawrocki’s statement emphasized that the revocation is not against the Ukrainian people or Poland’s security policy, yet it is expected to create significant diplomatic tensions between Poland and Ukraine ahead of a reconstruction conference in Gdansk.
Relations between Poland and Ukraine have been strained, despite Poland’s support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Polish public opinion towards Ukraine has shifted negatively due to dissatisfaction over refugee issues, disputes about grain imports, and historical grievances. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized the decision as a “strategic error,” stating that Poland escalated a conflict rather than seeking solutions. He asserted that foreign leaders should not dictate Ukraine’s history.
Former Polish President Lech Walesa also expressed discontent, saying he would no longer wear a Ukrainian flag badge, although he still supports Ukraine against Russian aggression. Some Ukrainians view the UPA as symbols of their resistance against oppressive regimes, while Poland remembers it as a perpetrator of the Volhynia massacres, which claimed many lives on both sides. Ukraine suggested that the name change was meant to honor the unit’s fight against Russia, not to offend Poland.
Zelenskiy’s chief of staff renounces Polish medal amid WW2 dispute
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, announced he is giving up a Polish state medal after Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki revoked Zelenskiy’s top honor. This decision was made over a dispute related to a military unit named after Ukrainian insurgents linked to atrocities against Poles during World War II. Budanov described Nawrocki’s action as a “gift” to Russia and said it should lead to reflection rather than political conflict. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the revocation a “strategic error. ” Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged both leaders to stay calm amid rising tensions between the two nations.
With information from Reuters
