Poland revokes Zelensky's Order of the White Eagle over UPA unit naming

Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced on June 19 that President Volodymyr Zelensky would lose the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest civilian honour, following Ukraine’s decision to name an active unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The UPA, which fought for Ukrainian independence during World War II, is associated in Poland with the wartime massacres of Polish civilians in the Volyn region.

Nawrocki said in a video address, > "We must not betray the sacrifices of our ancestors with silence. These are graves that must not be forgotten," and added that Poland had repeatedly communicated its concerns to Kyiv and expected a reconsideration of the decision’s impact on bilateral relations.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the revocation as a "strategic mistake" that benefits Moscow, and announced he would return the Commander’s Cross Order of Merit awarded to him by a former Polish president. He said the Ukrainian soldiers who proposed the name had "no anti-Polish intent" and sought to honour those who resisted Soviet occupation.

Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk called the move a "catastrophic mistake" with potentially far-reaching negative consequences for the partnership, criticizing its timing ahead of a recovery conference in Gdańsk. Member of Parliament Mykola Kniazhytskyi described the decision as reflecting the Polish president’s attitude toward the Ukrainian people and armed forces.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has not commented on the revocation but previously urged dialogue to prevent Moscow from exploiting any rift. Nawrocki warned that Ukraine’s EU accession path requires confronting difficult historical chapters, stating that Poland would not support EU membership for countries that ignore such issues.

Despite the dispute, Nawrocki affirmed that Poland’s overall support for Ukraine remains unchanged, citing Russian aggression as a common security threat.