Zelenskyy loses Poland's highest honor during tensions with European allies

Key Points:

• Polish President Karol Nawrocki decided to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle, due to Zelenskyy’s decree naming a Ukrainian military unit after the controversial Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), accused of massacring Poles during World War II.
• Ukrainian officials condemned the decision as unfriendly and beneficial to Moscow, arguing it sows discord between Kyiv and its allies amid the ongoing conflict with Russia; several Ukrainian officials announced plans to return Polish state honors in protest.
• The move sparked criticism within Poland and concerns about rising anti-Ukrainian sentiment, though Nawrocki emphasized that Poland’s support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia remains unchanged.
• Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged both countries to reduce tensions, warning that conflict between Poland and Ukraine serves Russian interests and unsettles their allies.
• The historical dispute centers on the UPA’s legacy, which Ukraine views as a force for independence, while Poland recognizes it as responsible for genocide against Poles; recent efforts had aimed at reconciliation, including cooperation on exhuming Polish victims.