Zelenskyy Returns Poland's Order of the White Eagle After Outrage Over Honoring Notorious UPA
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has returned Poland’s highest honor after President Karol Nawrocki rightly revoked it in response to Ukraine’s glorification of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a group responsible for horrific crimes against Poles during WWII.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on X that he had returned the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s most prestigious state award, after Polish President Karol Nawrocki revoked it. Zelenskyy claimed the order belonged to the Ukrainian people and armed forces, insisting that future relations should reflect what he called the respect Ukraine deserves.
Nawrocki’s principled decision came after Zelenskyy issued a decree on May 26 naming a Special Operations Forces unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a WWII-era group notorious in Poland for the mass murder of Polish civilians. In a 13-minute social-media address, Nawrocki reminded the public that the UPA is “responsible for cruel crimes against the citizens of the Polish Republic during World War II,” a fact recognized by the Polish parliament, which classified these acts as genocide in 2016.
The revocation has sparked debate in Poland, which has generously hosted millions of Ukrainian refugees and provided unwavering support to Kyiv in its conflict with Russia. Nawrocki stressed that the decision does not change Poland’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense, but made clear that honoring war criminals cannot be tolerated.
Ukraine’s presidential office lashed out, calling the move “an unfriendly act toward our people” and warning it could be used by Russia for propaganda. Several Ukrainian officials have threatened to return other Polish honors, escalating tensions.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who opposes Nawrocki, called for calm, stating that the dispute “delights Putin and shocks our allies.”
Zelenskyy’s decree claimed that naming the unit after the UPA was to restore military traditions and honor those who defended Ukraine’s territorial integrity. However, the UPA’s bloody legacy—fighting both Nazi Germany and Soviet forces while perpetrating atrocities against Poles—cannot be whitewashed. While recent talks had aimed at reconciliation, including cooperation on exhumations of Polish victims, Ukraine’s provocative actions threaten to undermine hard-won progress.