Poland threatens to strip Zelenskyy of highest honour after Ukraine names unit after WWII nationalist group
President Karol Nawrocki has called for the Order of the White Eagle to be taken from Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the Ukrainian leader named a military unit after the UPA, a group Poland holds responsible for the WWII massacre of Poles.
The spark
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that one of Ukraine's military units would be named after the "Heroes of the UPA" — the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, which Poland considers a criminal organisation responsible for the genocide of Poles in Volhynia during World War II. The decision, framed by Kyiv as restoring historical military traditions, ignited immediate fury in Warsaw.
Poland's response
President Karol Nawrocki reacted within hours, declaring he would ask the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle — Poland's highest decoration — to strip Zelenskyy of the honour at its meeting on 8 June.
Nawrocki noted that the final decision rests with him.President Zelenskyy has proven that Ukraine, in terms of mentality and glorifying the bandits and murderers of the UPA, is not ready to be part of the European family.
Political fault lines
Prime Minister Donald Tusk struck a cautious tone, warning that "if we quarrel about the past, someone else will win the future" and calling both Zelenskyy's move and Nawrocki's reaction "disturbing." Presidential minister Marcin Przydacz accused Tusk of "justifying" the UPA and attacking his own president. On the government side, minister Tomasz Siemoniak called Zelenskyy's decision a "fatal mistake" and a "loss of Polish hearts," but urged restraint on formal steps, saying Poland's interest lies in a Ukraine that fights Russia.
All nervous, emotional moves are not good. Of course we must speak out, react, protest, condemn, but taking formal steps like revoking an order requires reflection and weighing Poland's interest.
Broader reactions
Former deputy prime minister Jacek Sasin said revoking the order "is not enough" and called for "hard realism, no sentiment" in relations with Kyiv, while acknowledging that Ukraine stopping Russian aggression serves Polish interests. PiS MP Radosław Fogiel argued Zelenskyy had already "given fuel to Russian propaganda" by honouring the UPA, making the order's revocation secondary. Left-wing MP Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus opposed the move, saying "who gives and takes away will burn in hell."
Public mood
Online sentiment analysis published by Res Futura Data House showed 97.4% of opinion-forming comments supported Nawrocki's initiative. The anger spilled into public life: during a friendly football match between Poland and Ukraine in Wrocław, Polish fans audibly booed the Ukrainian players' presentation and the Ukrainian national anthem.
- President Andrzej Duda awards Zelenskyy the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honour.
- Zelenskyy announces a Ukrainian military unit will be named 'Heroes of the UPA'.
- President Nawrocki issues a statement of outrage and announces he will seek to revoke Zelenskyy's Order of the White Eagle.
- Polish fans boo the Ukrainian anthem and players during a friendly match in Wrocław.
- PM Tusk calls both Zelenskyy's and Nawrocki's actions 'disturbing'; government and opposition figures trade accusations.
- Scheduled meeting of the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle to consider revoking Zelenskyy's honour.
