Poland Revokes Zelensky’s White Eagle Order Over UPA Naming Controversy

Sat Jun 20 2026 03:53:44 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Poland strips Ukrainian President’s highest honor after Kyiv names a unit after UPA, sparking diplomatic row. The decision reshapes EU‑Ukraine ties.

Poland stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of its highest civilian award, the Order of the White Eagle, after the Ukrainian government decided to name a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). President Karol Nawrocki condemned the move as "outrageous" and said it would not affect military aid. Ukraine’s foreign minister called the revocation a strategic mistake and a sign that Poland was trying to dictate Ukrainian history. The UPA is seen by many Ukrainians as freedom fighters, whereas the Polish narrative links them to ethnic cleansing of Poles in Volhynia in 1943‑45. The row raises questions over Ukraine’s EU accession prospects and how Poland balances humanitarian support for refugees with historical memory.

Poland has taken the unprecedented step of revoking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle, the nation’s most prestigious civilian honour, following Kyiv’s decision to christen a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). President Karol Nawrocki declared the move "outrageous, incomprehensible and deeply disappointing" and emphasised that it would not alter Poland’s military aid for Ukraine.

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, sharply criticised the revocation, warning that it was a "strategic mistake" that benefitted Moscow and that no foreign leader should dictate a country’s history. He announced his intent to return the 2022 award in response.

The UPA, active in the 1940s and 1950s, is revered in Ukraine as a symbol of resistance against both Nazi Germany and Soviet forces. In contrast, Poland points to the Volhynia massacres of 1943‑45, where up to 100,000 ethnic Poles were allegedly killed, to cast the UPA in a negative light.

Nawrocki highlighted Ukraine’s recent hospitality for refugees, noting that over a million Ukrainian civilians have found shelter in Poland since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. He warned that welcoming refugees does not excuse historical revisionism and that Poland will not allow those who do not respect shared European values to remain in the EU.

Despite the diplomatic fallout, Poland assures it will maintain its support for Ukraine in the war. The incident arrives as Ukraine continues to pursue EU membership, with first‑stage negotiations underway in Luxembourg, while the UPA’s flag remains a prominent emblem on front‑line troops seeking to restore national military traditions.