Key facts
- Poland's President Karol Nawrocki revoked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Order of the White Eagle.
- The dispute involves Zelenskyy's decision to name a military unit after the World War II-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
- The UPA is associated with massacres of Poles during World War II, evoking painful memories in Poland.
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha described the revocation as a "strategic mistake" benefiting Russia.
- Zelenskyy returned the award, stating it was intended for the Ukrainian people and army.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk views the dispute as a "strategic mistake" harming both nations.
Poland's nationalist President Karol Nawrocki has stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, the country's highest honor, amid a deepening dispute over a World War II-era Ukrainian military unit. The move, made late Friday, strains a crucial alliance between Poland and Ukraine as they face Russia's ongoing invasion.
The controversy stems from Zelenskyy's decision to name a special operations unit "Heroes of the UPA." The Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) is a sensitive historical subject in Poland due to its role in massacres of Poles during World War II. President Nawrocki, a historian specializing in Nazi and Soviet crimes against Poles, stated that naming a unit after "UPA criminals" carries significance beyond Ukraine's internal affairs and that Poles must not "betray the sacrifices of our ancestors with silence."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned the revocation as a "strategic mistake" that benefits Moscow. Zelenskyy responded by returning the order, asserting it was awarded to the Ukrainian people and army and that revoking it contradicts the reasons for its initial bestowal. He expressed Ukraine's openness to dialogue to avoid conflicting interpretations of shared history.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political rival of Nawrocki, has characterized the dispute as a "strategic mistake" detrimental to both nations. Tusk met with Zelenskyy in Brussels, emphasizing the importance of the relationship and seeking to prevent historical grievances from undermining broader strategic cooperation against Russia.
The Order of the White Eagle, established in 1705, was awarded to Zelenskyy in 2023 for strengthening Polish-Ukrainian relations and defending Ukraine. Polish law permits revocation if the recipient commits an act rendering them unworthy of the honor. This is the first time the award has been permanently stripped from someone.