Zelensky returns Poland's highest honor amid WWII nationalist unit row

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has returned Poland's highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle, in response to a politically charged dispute over World War II history. The award was bestowed upon Zelensky in 2023 by then-President Andrzej Duda for his services to security, resilience, and human rights.

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Today, I sent the Order back to the President of Poland. I believe the future will confirm the respect Ukrainians deserve.

The controversy erupted after Zelensky issued a decree on May 26 naming a unit of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). This paramilitary organization operated in the 1940s and 1950s and is accused in Poland of committing mass killings of Poles during the war. Polish President Karol Nawrocki subsequently decided to strip Zelensky of the honor, stating that for the majority of Polish society, the UPA remains primarily responsible for "cruel crimes against the citizens of the Polish Republic during World War II."

Zelensky explained his decision to return the order on social media, asserting that it "was meant for the Ukrainian People and our army." He expressed belief that "the future will confirm the respect Ukrainians deserve." The Ukrainian Presidential Office chief, Kyrylo Budanov, condemned Nawrocki's decision as "an unfriendly act toward our people" and "a gift to the Moscow aggressor." Four Ukrainian officials, including Budanov, announced they would also return state honors received from Poland.

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For the majority of Polish society, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army remains above all a formation responsible for cruel crimes against the citizens of the Polish Republic during World War II.

This historical dispute has reopened old wounds in Poland, a nation that has hosted millions of Ukrainian refugees and remains a staunch supporter of Kyiv amid Russia's ongoing invasion. However, some observers note that Nawrocki, a nationalist politician, may be exploiting anti-Ukrainian sentiment for electoral gain. While the revocation of the honor does not signify a decrease in Poland's support for Ukraine's defense, it highlights the complex and sensitive nature of historical memory between the two neighboring countries. Some Ukrainians, including former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, have criticized Zelensky's move as "harmful and incorrect."

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an unfriendly act toward our people and a gift to the Moscow aggressor, which will certainly use it against both of our countries.