Poland withdraws top state honor from Zelenskyy over military unit naming

Poland has withdrawn its highest state decoration, the Order of the White Eagle, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The decision, announced by Polish President Andrzej Duda, comes after Zelenskyy's government named a military unit the "Insurgent Army of Ukraine" (UPA).

Poland considers the UPA responsible for the massacre of approximately 100,000 Polish civilians in what is now western Ukraine during World War II. The Polish government views these killings as genocide. President Duda stated that for the vast majority of Polish society, the UPA remains primarily associated with brutal crimes against Polish citizens.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, represented by Andrii Sibiga, condemned the decision as a "strategic error" and "disrespectful." Sibiga argued that such actions only benefit Moscow, implying that the Polish president's move plays into Russia's hands.

The UPA was the military wing of a Ukrainian independence movement that fought against the Soviet army. However, it also clashed with Polish resistance forces and committed atrocities against Polish and Jewish civilians. While Ukraine honors the UPA as a force that fought for national independence, particularly since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Poland views its legacy through the lens of historical massacres.

This decision has created a rift between the two nations, which have otherwise maintained strong ties, with Poland hosting nearly a million Ukrainian refugees. A recent poll indicated that 65% of Poles believe Zelenskyy's decision negatively impacts bilateral relations.