Key facts
- Polish and Ukrainian officials met in Warsaw to address diplomatic tensions.
- The dispute centers on Ukraine renaming a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
- Poland accuses the UPA of genocide against Poles during World War II.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in 2023.
- Polish President Karol Nawrocki proposed stripping Zelenskiy of the honor.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for direct talks between the presidents to prevent further conflict.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called for direct talks between the Polish and Ukrainian presidents to de-escalate a growing dispute over the naming of a Ukrainian army unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Poland accuses the UPA of committing genocide against Poles during World War II, a historical grievance that has soured public sentiment in Poland towards Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's decision to rename a unit after the UPA has caused significant outrage in Poland, threatening to undermine the strong support Kyiv has received from Warsaw since Russia's 2022 invasion. Polish President Karol Nawrocki has proposed stripping Zelenskiy of Poland's highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle, over the decision. Tusk, a political opponent of Nawrocki, appealed for a direct conversation between the two presidents to prevent emotions from destroying the solidarity between the nations, emphasizing that conflict serves Moscow's interests. Some Ukrainians view the UPA as heroes for their resistance against foreign powers, while Poland highlights the UPA's involvement in the Volhynia massacres, where tens of thousands of Poles were killed. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has stated the unit's name was chosen to commemorate the UPA's fight against Moscow and not to offend Poland.