Poland Revokes Top State Honor to Zelensky Over Controversial Military Unit Naming

Warsaw. Poland has withdrawn its highest state honor, the 'Order of the White Eagle', awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after Ukraine named one of its military units after a controversial World War II-era militant group.

Polish President Andrzej Duda called Ukraine's move 'insulting' and 'disappointing', revoking Zelensky's honor. However, President Duda clarified that this diplomatic dispute would not affect Poland's ongoing support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Ukraine decided late last month to name its military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The UPA, active in the 1940s and 1950s, is considered by many Ukrainians as heroes who fought for Ukraine's independence against the Soviet Red Army, Nazi Germany, and Polish authorities.

Therefore, the title 'Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army' is a great honor for Ukrainians. Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the front lines still use the red and black flag of the UPA. With the aim of reviving this historical tradition, Zelensky announced the naming of the military unit after the UPA.

However, Poland considers the UPA responsible for the massacre of about 100,000 ethnic Polish civilians in the Volhynia region between 1943 and 1945. President Duda stated in a video message that for Polish society, the UPA was merely a group that committed inhumane crimes against its citizens during World War II.

He said, 'The glorification of the UPA by Ukrainian officials has not only hurt our historical memory but has also weakened the trust built over years, especially in recent months.'

Reminding that Poland opened its homes and hearts to millions of Ukrainian refugees after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he warned that a country aspiring to join the European Union (EU) must honestly accept the difficult chapters of its history and abandon the culture of violence.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba objected to Poland's move. He called Warsaw's decision a 'strategic mistake' and 'insulting', commenting that it would only benefit Moscow.

Expressing anger, he also announced that he would return the award he received from Poland in 2022. Foreign Minister Kuleba said, 'No president of any other country can dictate our history to us.' President Zelensky has not yet commented on this dispute.