Don't strip Zelenskyy of award; national interest matters more than emotion

Bogusław Chrabota, writing for Rzeczpospolita, urges against revoking the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, emphasizing the importance of national interest over fleeting public emotion. He contends that mature nations and leaders navigate difficult times through rational calculation, not hysteria or a desire for revenge, and wishes for Poland to embody this approach.

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We should not mix historical relations with a hard understanding of national interest. This is a path to nowhere and a sin against the future. Mature nations and leaders, especially in difficult moments, are guided by cool calculation and rationalized interest, not by hysteria or a desire for revenge. I would like Poland to be just like that.

The upcoming meeting of the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle is expected to consider President Karol Nawrocki's proposal to strip Zelenskyy of the award. Chrabota hopes the chapter will prioritize pragmatism and national interest rather than momentary sentiment. He posits that the chapter's role is to weigh merits for Poland and Poles, which is the true basis for such a high honor.

Recalling the reasons for Zelenskyy's award, support for Polish-Ukrainian relations, regional stability, and the defense of values against aggression, Chrabota acknowledges Zelenskyy's decision to name a military unit after the "UPA Heroes." He condemns this decision but maintains that the circumstances justifying the award are still relevant. Zelenskyy has not retreated; he leads his nation toward victory, a prospect more likely now than in 2023, and future relations with Ukraine will be even more critical after the war.

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I would like to believe that this honorable group, in its opinion – which is not binding on the president – will be guided primarily by pragmatism and an understanding of the raison d'état, not by momentary emotion. The members of the chapter are not guardians of national dignity and hostages of Polish history (let's leave those roles to the IPN), but a group that weighs the obvious merits for Poland and Poles. Because it is precisely this – nothing else – that is the pass to such an extraordinary honor as the status of a knight of the Order of the White Eagle.

Chrabota advocates for a two-tiered approach to Polish-Ukrainian relations. Historical issues and emotional grievances should be handled by individuals dedicated to reconciliation, not solely by historians or heads of national memory institutes. Meanwhile, governments, businesses, and social organizations should focus on building future-oriented relationships. This pragmatic separation, he argues, is essential for Poland's future.

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I condemn unequivocally the decision of Zelenskyy regarding the naming of a military unit after the 'UPA Heroes,' but I want to point out that all the circumstances that the chapter, chaired by Andrzej Duda, considered convincing, are still current. Zelenskyy has not retreated, he has not lost, nor has he surrendered. He is leading his nation to victory, which is more probable today than in 2023. And relations with this nation will be even more important when the hot war ends.