Ukrainian officials have condemned Polish President Karol Nawrocki's decision to revoke President Volodymyr Zelensky's highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle, arguing that the move benefits Moscow by sowing discord between Kyiv and its allies. The decision, announced on Friday, stems from Zelensky's May 26 decree naming a Ukrainian Special Operations Forces unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during World War II.
Background of the Dispute
Former Polish President Andrzej Duda awarded Zelensky the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 for his contributions to security, resilience, and the defense of human rights. Nawrocki, a nationalist politician, stated that the UPA is widely viewed in Poland as a formation responsible for brutal crimes against Polish citizens during World War II. He emphasized that revoking the honor does not diminish Poland's support for Ukraine's defense against Russia.
The UPA fought for Ukrainian independence against both Nazi Germany and Soviet forces but has been accused of killing tens of thousands of Poles, particularly in the Volhynia and Eastern Galicia regions. In 2016, the Polish Parliament recognized these acts as genocide. Ukrainians counter that both sides, including Polish underground forces, committed attacks and reprisals leading to mass civilian casualties.
Ukrainian Officials' Reactions
Ukrainian Presidential Office chief Kyrylo Budanov described the decision as "an unfriendly act toward our people" and "a gift to the Moscow aggressor, which will certainly use it against both of our countries." Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called it "a strategic mistake by the President of Poland, one that benefits only Moscow." Ukraine's ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, deemed the decision "especially painful" given the ongoing missile and drone attacks Ukraine faces.
Budanov, his deputy Ihor Zhovkva, Sybiha, and Bodnar announced they would return state honors previously awarded to them by Poland. However, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk criticized this response, writing on X that one harmful decision by Poland cannot be corrected by further incorrect decisions from Ukraine.
Wider Implications and Reactions
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political rival of Nawrocki, urged both sides to "tone down emotions, not stoke tensions." He noted that the conflict between Poland and Ukraine "delights Putin and shocks our allies," emphasizing that "the front line runs elsewhere." Poland is scheduled to host a major event on Ukraine's postwar reconstruction next week, which Zelensky is expected to attend. Despite the dispute, Nawrocki affirmed that Poland's support for Ukraine's defense against Russia remains unchanged.
Poland and Ukraine had recently made progress on historical reconciliation, including the exhumation of Polish victims. A December meeting between the two presidents in Warsaw had signaled a positive trajectory. This latest rift threatens to undermine that progress, with Ukrainian officials warning that Moscow will exploit the discord to weaken the alliance against Russian aggression.
