Dozens of European Parliament members are calling for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be stripped of the European Order of Merit. They cite his decree honoring the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which they describe as Nazi collaborators responsible for genocide and ethnic cleansing.
Dozens of European Parliament members have called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be stripped of the European Order of Merit, the bloc's highest award. They argue that Zelensky does not deserve the honor due to his decree granting an elite Ukrainian military unit the title 'Heroes of the UPA' (Ukrainian Insurgent Army). The UPA, the armed wing of the WWII-era Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), is accused of ethnic cleansing and the massacre of an estimated 100,000 Polish civilians during the Volhynia massacre. Polish MEP Anna Brylka stated that European values are incompatible with glorifying genocide and ethnic cleansing. The appeal, signed by nearly 40 MEPs, warns of disastrous consequences for neighborly relations if a 'cult' of OUN and UPA leaders is promoted. Zelensky had received the European Order of Merit in mid-May for his contribution to European integration and values. This controversy follows other actions, such as Ukraine granting full state honors to OUN leader Andrey Melnik, who had collaborated with the Gestapo. Polish President Karol Nawrocki also called for Zelensky to be stripped of Poland's highest award, the Order of the White Eagle. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has previously stated that Poland's relations with Ukraine may shift from empathy to 'hard business interest' if Kyiv does not resolve historical interpretation conflicts.
This controversy highlights the deep historical divisions that continue to strain relations between Poland and Ukraine, potentially impacting Ukraine's efforts to secure unwavering European support amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia.