Polish President Bows to Nationalist Pressure, Revokes Zelenskyy's White Eagle Honor Over WWII Unit Naming
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In a move reflecting the enduring grip of nationalist narratives and historical grievances, Poland's president stripped Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle after he honored a WWII-era unit, drawing condemnation from Kyiv and raising concerns about emboldening Moscow.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced on Friday that he will strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state decoration. This decision, driven by nationalist sentiment and an unwillingness to move beyond historical wounds, comes after Zelenskyy’s May 26 decree naming a Special Operations Forces unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a WWII-era group accused by Poland of mass killings of Polish civilians.
Nawrocki, echoing right-wing rhetoric, claimed the UPA “remains above all a formation responsible for cruel crimes against the citizens of the Polish Republic during World War II,” yet insisted that revoking the honor does not alter Poland’s support for Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression. This contradictory stance exposes the hypocrisy of using historical pain for political posturing while professing solidarity against imperialist violence.
Ukrainian officials rightfully condemned the move. Kyiv’s presidential office chief Kyrylo Budanov described it as “an unfriendly act toward our people” and a “gift to the Moscow aggressor.” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the revocation “a strategic mistake… that benefits only Moscow,” while ambassador Vasyl Bodnar said it was “especially painful” amid ongoing missile and drone attacks. These reactions highlight how divisive historical narratives are weaponized to undermine much-needed unity against authoritarian threats.
In protest, several Ukrainian officials announced they would return Polish state honors previously awarded to them. Former prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk warned that one “harmful and incorrect decision by the current president of Poland cannot be corrected by other incorrect decisions of ours.”
Poland is set to host a conference on Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction next week, which Zelenskyy is expected to attend. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political rival of Nawrocki, urged both leaders to “tone down emotions, not stoke tensions,” noting that the dispute “delights Putin and shocks our allies.” Tusk’s call for de-escalation stands in stark contrast to Nawrocki’s divisive maneuvering.
The UPA fought for Ukrainian independence against Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union but has been implicated in the killing of tens of thousands of Poles, a fact recognized by the Polish parliament in 2016 as genocide. Recent bilateral talks had signaled progress on historical reconciliation, including cooperation on exhumations of Polish victims. Nawrocki’s decision threatens to undo this fragile progress, privileging nationalist resentment over solidarity and justice.