Polish president strips Zelenskyy of honor over naming army unit after WWII group

WARSAW, Poland — Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced on Friday that he intends to revoke Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state honor. This decision comes in response to Zelenskyy naming a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a group accused of massacring Poles during World War II.

Zelenskyy was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 for his contributions to security, resilience, and the defense of human rights. However, following his decree naming the military unit after the controversial UPA, Nawrocki has decided to rescind this honor.

Nawrocki emphasized that while this action is being taken, Poland’s support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia will not diminish. Zelenskyy is scheduled to attend a reconstruction event in Poland next week, despite the escalating tensions.

The UPA, a military organization that fought for Ukrainian independence, is accused of wartime atrocities against Poles, leading to the Polish parliament recognizing their actions as genocide in 2016. Ukrainians argue that both sides, including Polish underground forces, were involved in violent acts during this period.

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha have expressed concerns over the historical tensions between the two countries, urging a more diplomatic approach.

Recent progress had been made on issues such as the exhumation of Polish victims, signaling a potential path towards historical reconciliation between Poland and Ukraine.

Hanna Arhirova contributed to this report from Kyiv, Ukraine.