Poland Withdraws Order of the White Eagle from Zelensky
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has been stripped of Poland's highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle, following Kyiv's decision to name a military unit after a controversial World War II group.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki condemned Ukraine's late April decision to name the unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), describing it as "outrageous," "incomprehensible," and "deeply disappointing."
Despite the diplomatic dispute, Nawrocki emphasized that Poland's support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia would remain unchanged.
Reactions from Ukraine and Poland
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized Warsaw's action, labeling it a "strategic mistake" and "disrespectful."
Within Ukraine, the UPA, active during the 1940s and 1950s, is widely regarded as a heroic force that fought for Ukrainian independence against the Soviet Red Army, Nazi Germany, and Polish authorities. For many Ukrainians, the designation "Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army" is a significant honor.
Conversely, Poland accuses the UPA of perpetrating genocide against ethnic Poles in the Volhynia region (now Volyn in Ukraine) between 1943 and 1945.
President Nawrocki stated in a video posted on his official website:
"For the overwhelming majority of Polish society, the UPA remains, above all, a formation responsible for the brutal crimes committed against citizens of the Republic of Poland during World War II."
"That is why the Ukrainian authorities' decision to glorify the UPA is not only outrageous, it is also incomprehensible and deeply disappointing."
"It hurts not only our historical memory. It also undermines the trust built up over the years and in recent months."
Nawrocki also highlighted the hospitality Poland extended to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
"Poles opened their borders, their homes, and their hearts to millions of Ukrainians," he said.
He further remarked:
"Ukraine's path toward European structures also requires a willingness to honestly confront the difficult chapters of its own history.
A united Europe was built on the rejection of totalitarianism and the cult of violence. These principles must apply to everyone. For those who do not understand this, there can be no place in the European Union, and Poland will certainly not allow it."
Context of the UPA and EU Ambitions
Ukraine aspires to join the European Union and recently participated in the initial phase of membership negotiations held in Luxembourg.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has sought to ease the escalating diplomatic tensions between Kyiv and Warsaw.
On social media, the former European Council president stated on Friday that the dispute "delights" Russian President Vladimir Putin and urged both Zelensky and Nawrocki to "calm emotions, not to stoke tensions."
For Ukraine, the UPA symbolizes resistance and the struggle for independence, despite Poland's assertion that approximately 100,000 ethnic Poles were killed during the Volhynia massacres.
The red and black flag of the UPA is frequently displayed by Ukrainian troops on the front lines today. This symbolism motivated Zelensky to name a military unit after the UPA, aiming "to restore the historical traditions of the national army."
Background on the Award and Responses
The Polish Order of the White Eagle was awarded to Zelensky in 2023 by then-President Andrzej Duda.
Zelensky has not publicly commented on the controversy. However, Foreign Minister Sybiha described Poland's decision as "a strategic mistake by the President of Poland, from which only Moscow benefits."
Sybiha announced he would return a Polish award he received in 2022 in response to the revocation.
"No president of another country will dictate our history to us," he declared.
