Poland-Ukraine rift deepens as Polish president revokes Zelenskyy's state honor
Polish President Karol Nawrocki has withdrawn the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, escalating a dispute over historical memory surrounding the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The move has sparked a unified response from Ukrainian politicians, who returned their own Polish honors, while Prime Minister Donald Tusk faces a political dilemma.
The longstanding alliance between Poland and Ukraine has suffered a significant blow as Polish President Karol Nawrocki followed through on his threat to revoke the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state honor, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The decision, announced on Friday via social media, stems from a dispute over the naming of a Ukrainian special forces unit after the "Heroes of the UPA" – a reference to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, which fought for independence but is also responsible for massacres of Polish civilians during World War II.
In response, Zelenskyy returned the medal to the Polish president, posting images of the package sent via courier. He pointed out that the order had also been awarded to figures such as Russian Empress Catherine II and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, suggesting the honor had lost its significance. In an interview, Zelenskyy accused Nawrocki of acting for domestic political reasons ahead of Poland's 2027 parliamentary elections, comparing him to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
The dispute triggered a wave of returns from Ukrainian officials. Three former Ukrainian presidents – Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko – returned their Polish orders. Presidential Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also gave back their honors. Sybiha stated that Nawrocki had become "the destroyer of positive progress" and warned that Kyiv would mirror the move.
The root of the conflict lies in the divergent historical perceptions of the UPA. In Ukraine, the UPA is celebrated as freedom fighters against Soviet rule. In Poland, the UPA is condemned for the 1943 Volhynia massacre, in which around 100,000 Poles were killed, and is officially recognized as genocide by the Polish parliament. The issue had simmered for decades and seemed to be easing after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelenskyy had agreed to allow exhumations of Polish victims' mass graves, a process now jeopardized.
Nawrocki's hardline stance has put Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a difficult position. Tusk must countersign the revocation, which could damage ties with Ukraine, a key ally against Russia. Refusing to sign would invite criticism from the right. Tusk has tried to balance criticism of the unit's name with warnings against escalating the conflict, stating that only Russian President Vladimir Putin benefits from the rift.
In a show of support, a group of Polish intellectuals awarded Zelenskyy a symbolic "Civilian Order of the Future," emphasizing that many Poles oppose turning against Ukraine.
