Ex-Ukrainian ambassador returns Polish state award

Oleksandr Shcherba, formerly Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland, has returned a state decoration bestowed upon him by Poland, citing his objection to Polish President Karol Nawrocki's decision to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of a similar honor. Shcherba stated that Nawrocki's action disregards decades of painstaking work towards Ukrainian-Polish reconciliation and mutual understanding.

Shcherba, who received the Commander's Cross with the Star of the Order of Merit in July 2024, expressed his gratitude for the fellowship and partnership with Poland but felt compelled by conscience to return the award. He interpreted Nawrocki's decision, made on the grounds that a Ukrainian military unit was given an honorary designation in tribute to the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), as disproportionate and irresponsible.

The former ambassador recalled historical moments of reconciliation, such as the 1994 meeting between UPA and Home Army veterans, emphasizing that history should be subject to honest inquiry, not political exploitation. He stressed that genuine reconciliation requires acknowledging the suffering of both peoples, noting that while Ukrainians do not deny crimes against Polish civilians, crimes committed against Ukrainians by Polish formations also cannot be silenced.

Shcherba asserted that Ukraine has consistently respected Poland's right to honor its national heroes and expects the same sovereign right for Ukraine to honor those who fought for its statehood, rejecting any attempt to impose collective guilt on Ukrainians.