From close allies to bitter row: Why Zelensky returned Poland’s highest honour
Volodymyr Zelensky said he returned Poland's highest honour after Karol Nawrocki said he was stripping him of the award. The row over a Ukrainian unit being renamed after the UPA has reopened painful historical divisions, even as both sides say support against Russia will continue.
- Jun 22, 2026,
- Updated Jun 22, 2026 4:12 PM IST
A fresh diplomatic strain has emerged between Poland and Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying he has returned Poland's highest honour after Polish President Karol Nawrocki said he was stripping him of the award. According to BBC.com, the dispute follows anger in Poland over Kyiv's decision last month to rename a Ukrainian army unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, or UPA, a group that remains deeply divisive in both countries.
The Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honour, had been bestowed on Zelensky in 2023 by then-President Andrzej Duda. Three senior Ukrainian officials have also said they are returning awards bestowed by Poland in solidarity with Zelensky, even as Poland continues to be one of Ukraine's main allies in the war against Russia.
The latest row was triggered by Kyiv's decision to rename a Ukrainian army unit after the UPA. Many in Ukraine regard the UPA, which existed in the 1940s and 1950s, as heroes who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Soviet Red Army, Nazi Germany and Polish authorities. The group's red and black flag is often used by Ukrainian troops on the front line today.
Poland, however, accuses the UPA of carrying out a genocide of about 100,000 ethnic Poles in Volhynia, now Volyn in Ukraine, in 1943-45. Nawrocki described Ukraine's decision as "outrageous", "incomprehensible" and "deeply disappointing".
In a video released on the president's official website, Nawrocki said: "For the overwhelming majority of Polish society, the UPA remains, above all, a formation responsible for the brutal crimes committed against citizens of the Republic of Poland during World War Two." He added: "It hurts not only our historical memory. It also undermines the trust built up over the years and in recent months."
In a statement on social media, Zelensky said Ukraine would "remain open to all meaningful formats of engagement with Poland in order to try to avoid conflicting interpretations of the difficult and painful chapters of our shared past". He added that Ukraine was "grateful to the Polish People for their support and co-operation".
Despite the dispute, Nawrocki stressed that the diplomatic row would not affect Poland's support for Ukraine against Russia. Poland has taken in hundreds of thousands of refugees and has served as a logistics hub for aid to Ukraine during the war.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also weighed in on social media, saying any feud between the two "delights" Russia's Vladimir Putin. He called on Zelensky and Nawrocki to "calm emotions, not to stoke tensions".
The tension comes as Ukraine pursues its ambition of becoming a member of the European Union and attended the first phase of membership negotiations this week in Luxembourg. The dispute over the UPA has sharpened differences over the two countries' shared past, even as both sides have signalled that support for Ukraine in the war against Russia will continue.
FAQs
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Why has a fresh diplomatic strain emerged between Poland and Ukraine?
The latest strain began after Ukraine renamed an army unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, or UPA. This angered many in Poland, where the group is linked to mass killings of ethnic Poles during World War Two.
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Why did Volodymyr Zelensky return Poland's highest honour?
Zelensky said he returned the Order of the White Eagle after Polish President Karol Nawrocki said he was removing the award. The honour had originally been given to Zelensky in 2023 by former Polish President Andrzej Duda.
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Why is the UPA such a divisive issue between Poland and Ukraine?
In Ukraine, many see the UPA as a force that fought for independence against Soviet, Nazi and Polish control. In Poland, the UPA is widely blamed for the killing of around 100,000 ethnic Poles in Volhynia between 1943 and 1945.
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Will this dispute affect Poland's support for Ukraine in the war against Russia?
Polish leaders have indicated that support will continue despite the row. Poland remains a major ally, has taken in large numbers of refugees, and continues to serve as an important logistics hub for aid to Ukraine.
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How have both sides responded to the Poland-Ukraine award and UPA controversy?
Nawrocki strongly criticised Ukraine's move, calling it outrageous and harmful to trust between the countries. Zelensky said Ukraine remains open to meaningful engagement with Poland and expressed gratitude for Polish support and co-operation.
A fresh diplomatic strain has emerged between Poland and Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying he has returned Poland's highest honour after Polish President Karol Nawrocki said he was stripping him of the award. According to BBC.com, the dispute follows anger in Poland over Kyiv's decision last month to rename a Ukrainian army unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, or UPA, a group that remains deeply divisive in both countries.
The Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honour, had been bestowed on Zelensky in 2023 by then-President Andrzej Duda. Three senior Ukrainian officials have also said they are returning awards bestowed by Poland in solidarity with Zelensky, even as Poland continues to be one of Ukraine's main allies in the war against Russia.
The latest row was triggered by Kyiv's decision to rename a Ukrainian army unit after the UPA. Many in Ukraine regard the UPA, which existed in the 1940s and 1950s, as heroes who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Soviet Red Army, Nazi Germany and Polish authorities. The group's red and black flag is often used by Ukrainian troops on the front line today.
Poland, however, accuses the UPA of carrying out a genocide of about 100,000 ethnic Poles in Volhynia, now Volyn in Ukraine, in 1943-45. Nawrocki described Ukraine's decision as "outrageous", "incomprehensible" and "deeply disappointing".
In a video released on the president's official website, Nawrocki said: "For the overwhelming majority of Polish society, the UPA remains, above all, a formation responsible for the brutal crimes committed against citizens of the Republic of Poland during World War Two." He added: "It hurts not only our historical memory. It also undermines the trust built up over the years and in recent months."
In a statement on social media, Zelensky said Ukraine would "remain open to all meaningful formats of engagement with Poland in order to try to avoid conflicting interpretations of the difficult and painful chapters of our shared past". He added that Ukraine was "grateful to the Polish People for their support and co-operation".
Despite the dispute, Nawrocki stressed that the diplomatic row would not affect Poland's support for Ukraine against Russia. Poland has taken in hundreds of thousands of refugees and has served as a logistics hub for aid to Ukraine during the war.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also weighed in on social media, saying any feud between the two "delights" Russia's Vladimir Putin. He called on Zelensky and Nawrocki to "calm emotions, not to stoke tensions".
The tension comes as Ukraine pursues its ambition of becoming a member of the European Union and attended the first phase of membership negotiations this week in Luxembourg. The dispute over the UPA has sharpened differences over the two countries' shared past, even as both sides have signalled that support for Ukraine in the war against Russia will continue.