Polish President Karol Nawrocki has revoked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honor, following Kyiv's decision to name a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The UPA is accused of massacring tens of thousands of Poles during World War II, a claim Poland recognizes as genocide, while Ukraine disputes the label.
Nawrocki stated the decision was not directed against Ukraine but was necessary to honor historical truth. 'Facts are not subject to negotiation,' he said, citing at least 100,000 Polish civilian deaths. Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, responded by renouncing his own Polish medal, calling the move a 'gift' to Russia.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned the decision as a 'strategic mistake,' arguing it benefits Moscow. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged calm, highlighting the countries' shared strategic interests against Russia. The dispute risks straining relations ahead of a Ukraine reconstruction conference in Poland.
The UPA, active in the 1940s-50s, remains a contentious symbol. Poland views it as a perpetrator of wartime atrocities, while Ukraine frames its actions within broader anti-Polish policies of the era. The fallout underscores lingering historical tensions amid wartime alliances.