Poland threatens to strip Zelenskyy of top state honour over UPA controversy
President Karol Nawrocki has called for a state council to discuss withdrawing Ukraine's Zelenskyy's Order of the White Eagle after he renamed a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, whose fighters killed Poles during World War II.
Poland's President Karol Nawrocki announced on May 29 that he wants the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle to discuss stripping Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland's highest state honour. The move follows Ukraine's decision earlier this week to rename a military special forces unit "Heroes of the UPA" after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
Historical tensions resurface
The UPA is a deeply controversial organisation in Polish-Ukrainian relations. While some Ukrainian nationalists regard the UPA as heroes for their resistance against the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, UPA fighters were also involved in the Volhynia massacres from 1943 to 1945, when Poland says around 100,000 Poles were killed in what is now western Ukraine.
Former President Andrzej Duda awarded Zelenskyy the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 in recognition of Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the Ukrainian leader's move "wounds our historical sensitivity" and is "worrying from the point of view of our relations." The advisory council overseeing the state decoration is scheduled to meet on June 8 to consider the matter.
What this means for foreigners
While this diplomatic row primarily affects high-level Poland-Ukraine relations, expats and foreigners living in Poland may notice increased public discussion about Polish-Ukrainian historical issues. Poland has been Ukraine's strongest supporter since Russia's 2022 invasion, and remains home to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees and workers. This controversy is unlikely to affect day-to-day interactions or immigration policies, but it highlights the complex historical sensitivities that still shape regional politics in Central and Eastern Europe.
