20.06.2026 01:00
Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced the withdrawal of the Order of the White Eagle awarded to Volodymyr Zelensky in 2023, citing the naming of a unit in the Ukrainian army after the UPA and President Zelensky's approval of this as the reason. Nawrocki stated that the decision is not against the Ukrainian people but was made due to historical sensitivities.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced that he has decided to revoke the "Order of the White Eagle," Poland's highest state decoration, awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2023.
THE NAME GIVEN TO THE UNIT CREATED A CRISIS, THE DECORATION AWARDED TO ZELENSKY WAS REVOKED
In a video message published on his social media accounts, President Nawrocki stated that the Nazi-collaborating Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) is seen by the vast majority of Polish society as an entity responsible for crimes committed against Polish citizens during World War II.
Nawrocki recalled that the Polish Parliament recognized UPA's crimes as "genocide" in 2016, a decision confirmed by a special law enacted in 2025, and stated that at least 100,000 Polish citizens were killed by the UPA, with the majority of victims being vulnerable civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.
Nawrocki emphasized that naming one of the units in the Ukrainian army after a name associated with the UPA carries significance beyond Ukraine's internal affairs, noting that they have repeatedly conveyed their sensitivities on this matter to the Kyiv administration, but there has been no change in Ukraine's stance.
Highlighting that Poland has tried to develop relations with Ukraine despite the burdens of the past, Nawrocki said that the Ukrainian authorities' decision to glorify the UPA is not only infuriating but also creates "incomprehensible and deep disappointment," and that this step damages the mutual trust and foundations of reconciliation built over the years.
Nawrocki reported that after consultations, he decided to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from Zelensky because Zelensky approved the naming of a unit within the Ukrainian army after the UPA.
"THE DECISION IS NOT AGAINST THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE"
Nawrocki stated that after Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, Poland opened its doors to millions of Ukrainians, providing unprecedented humanitarian, political, economic, and military support, and recalled that the Polish army trained thousands of Ukrainian soldiers.
Noting that the decision is not against the Ukrainian people, Nawrocki noted that Russia continues to pose a threat to the security of Poland and Europe, and therefore they will continue to support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Arguing that Ukraine's process of joining European structures requires honestly confronting the difficult pages of its own history, Nawrocki assessed, "Europe is built on the rejection of totalitarian regimes and the cult of violence. These principles must apply to everyone. For those who do not understand this, there can be no place in the European Union, and Poland will absolutely not allow it."
Nawrocki stated that disagreements between Poland and Ukraine only serve Russia's interests, emphasizing that relations between the two countries should be built on examples of joint struggle and cooperation.
Poland's former President Andrzej Duda awarded Ukraine's President Zelensky the "Order of the White Eagle," the highest decoration in the country, in 2023.