Poland to strip Zelenskyy of top honor over WWII unit naming dispute

Poland's President Andrzej Duda announced on Wednesday that he will revoke the country's highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The move comes in response to Zelenskyy's decision to name a Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a controversial paramilitary group accused of massacring Poles during World War II.

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most of Polish society, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army remains an organization responsible for brutal crimes against Polish citizens during World War II.

Duda stated that for most of Polish society, the UPA remains an organization responsible for brutal crimes against Polish citizens during the war. He emphasized, however, that this decision does not signify a reduction in Poland's support for Ukraine's ongoing defense against Russia. Poland is scheduled to host a significant event next week focused on Ukraine's post-war reconstruction, with Zelenskyy expected to attend.

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The decision to revoke the Order of the White Eagle does not mean that Poland's support for Ukraine, which is fighting against Russia, will decrease.

Zelenskyy's office explained the naming decision as an effort to restore historical traditions within the Ukrainian military and recognize the unit's contributions to defending Ukraine's territorial integrity and independence. The UPA fought for Ukrainian independence against Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. However, in Poland, the group is condemned for allegedly murdering tens of thousands of Poles, particularly in the Volhynia and Eastern Galicia regions during the German occupation. The Polish parliament officially recognized these crimes as genocide in 2016.

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The naming of the unit is aimed at restoring the historical traditions of the Ukrainian army and recognizing the merits of the unit in defending the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine.

Ukraine maintains that both Polish and Ukrainian armed groups engaged in attacks and retaliations, resulting in numerous civilian casualties on both sides. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also expressed criticism of Ukraine's decision, cautioning that such historical disputes could benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Svyryda urged both nations to lower emotional tensions and entrust sensitive historical matters to professional historians, stating that escalating tensions would not serve the interests of either the Ukrainian or Polish people.

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The escalation of tension between our countries does not benefit the Ukrainian and Polish people. We urge you to lower emotional tensions and entrust the sensitive pages of history to professional historians.