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ConflictPoland revokes Zelenskyy's highest state award over UPA unit renaming
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Poland's President Karol Nawrocki revoked the Order of the White Eagle, the country's highest state award, from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on June 19, 2026. The decision stems from Zelenskyy's May 2026 decision to rename a Ukrainian army unit as 'Heroes of the UPA,' honoring the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which fought Soviet rule after WWII but also committed massacres against tens of thousands of Poles and Jews during the war. The move sparked bipartisan outrage in Poland. In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha announced he would return a high state award given to him by Poland in 2022, calling the revocation a strategic mistake benefiting Moscow. The diplomatic rift threatens to overshadow a major reconstruction conference for Ukraine, co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine in Gdansk on June 25-26, involving the EU, G7, and other donors.
Source report
Polish President Karol Nawrocki has revoked the Order of the White Eagle — Poland's highest state distinction — from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, escalating a diplomatic dispute over the naming of a Ukrainian army unit.
Nawrocki announced the decision on X (formerly Twitter), citing Zelenskyy's recent decision to rename a Ukrainian military unit after a controversial nationalist figure.
Background of the Award
Zelenskyy received the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 from Nawrocki's predecessor, Andrzej Duda, as a gesture of solidarity between Poland and Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion.
In a statement quoted by the Polish Press Agency (PAP), Nawrocki insisted the revocation was "not directed against the Ukrainian nation" and would not alter the strategic direction of Polish security policy.
The Trigger: "Heroes of the UPA" Unit
At the end of May, Zelenskyy bestowed the honorary name "Heroes of the UPA" on an army unit, honoring the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
- The UPA is celebrated in Ukraine for resisting Soviet rule after World War II.
- However, during the war, the UPA — under leader Stepan Bandera — committed massacres against tens of thousands of Poles and Jews in what is now western Ukraine.
- In Poland, the move sparked bipartisan outrage.
Ukraine's Response
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha announced he would return a high state award given to him by Poland in 2022.
On Facebook, Sybiha called the revocation a "strategic mistake" by the Polish president, claiming it benefits only Moscow. He described the actions as "unjustified and condescending steps" not only toward Zelenskyy but toward the Ukrainian state as a whole.
Upcoming Joint Event Overshadowed
The dispute threatens to cloud a major reconstruction conference for Ukraine, scheduled for June 25–26 in Gdańsk. The event will involve the European Union, the G7, and other international donors. Poland and Ukraine are co-hosting.
Source: dpa/sebe
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Poland-Ukraine diplomatic crisis over Zelensky honoring controversial UPA unit