Poland has stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of its highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle, over Kyiv`s decision to name a military unit after controversial World War II fighters, Polish President Karol Nawrocki confirmed, according to Reuters and BBC News. The decision has sparked a sharp diplomatic rift between the two neighbors, with Ukraine`s Foreign Ministry denouncing the move as a strategic mistake and deeply disrespectful. President Nawrocki characterized the Ukrainian military renaming late last month as outrageous, incomprehensible, and profoundly disappointing to the Polish public. However, Nawrocki emphasized that this bilateral dispute would not alter Poland`s ongoing geopolitical support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Ukraine`s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized Warsaw`s decision, stating that it undermines the mutual trust established during recent crises. In Ukraine, many view the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, or UPA, which operated during the 1940s and 1950s, as national heroes who fought for independence against Nazi Germany and the Soviet Red Army. Naming a military unit the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army is considered a profound honor by Kyiv. Conversely, Poland accuses the UPA of orchestrating a brutal genocide against ethnic Poles in the Volhynia region between 1943 and 1945, resulting in approximately 100,000 casualties.
In an official video address published on the presidential website, Karol Nawrocki stated that for the overwhelming majority of Polish society, the UPA remains responsible for horrific crimes against citizens during the second world war. He noted that glorifying such an organization inflicts pain upon historical memory and compromises the extensive solidarity built between the two nations since 2022. Nawrocki recalled how hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees were welcomed into Polish homes and hearts following the full-scale invasion by Russia. He warned that integration into European structures requires an honest confrontation with difficult chapters of national history.
What remains unclear is whether this growing historical dispute will create major obstacles for Ukraine`s ambitions to join the European Union, especially following recent accession talks in Luxembourg. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk attempted to reduce the diplomatic friction by urging both leaders to calm emotions instead of stoking tensions. Tusk noted via social media that the ongoing feud between Warsaw and Kyiv ultimately delights Russian President Vladimir Putin. While the red and black flag of the UPA is frequently used by frontline Ukrainian troops today as a symbol of resistance, Warsaw maintains that the historical reality cannot be ignored.
President Zelensky has not issued a direct public comment regarding the loss of the award, which was originally presented to him in 2023 by former Polish President Andrzej Duda. In protest of the announcement, Foreign Minister Sybiha declared that he would return a prestigious state award he received from Poland in 2022. Sybiha stated firmly that no foreign leader would be allowed to dictate Ukraine`s national history. The dispute underscores the deep-seated historical tensions that continue to challenge the alliance between Kyiv and Warsaw despite their shared opposition to Moscow.
