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Poland Removes Zelensky from Highest Honour Amid WWII Memory Dispute

Poland Removes Zelensky from Highest Honour Amid WWII Memory Dispute

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Poland’s hard‑right president Karol Nawrocki revoked President Zelensky’s Warsaw top honor amid a dispute over WWII memory; the move follows Zelensky’s earlier decision to name a Ukrainian unit after the Ukrainian‑Insurgent Army.

Karol Nawrocki
Independent
1. The Order of the White Eagle is not just an ordinary award. It is a symbol of the Republic of Poland's highest trust. It signifies a special bond with the Polish state and the nation's profound gratitude.
2. Ukraine's path toward European structures also requires a willingness to honestly confront the difficult chapters of its own history. A united Europe was built on the rejection of totalitarianism and the cult of violence. These principles must apply to everyone. For those who do not understand this, there can be no place in the European Union, and Poland will certainly not allow it.
3. That is why the Ukrainian authorities' decision to glorify the UPA is not only outrageous. It is also incomprehensible and deeply disappointing.
4. All these actions provided grounds for believing that Poland and Ukraine are gradually finding a path toward lasting reconciliation.
5. They were not soldiers on the battlefield. They were defenceless civilians. They were murdered brutally and savagely.
6. Facts are not subject to negotiation; they do not change with political circumstances or necessities. The facts are that at least 100,000 Polish citizens were murdered by the UPA.
7. We must not betray the sacrifices of our ancestors with silence. These are graves that must not be forgotten. These are the wounds of history that demand truth, remembrance, and respect.
8. For the majority of Polish society, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army remains above all a formation responsible for cruel crimes against the citizens of the Polish Republic during World War II.
9. Therefore, in light of President Volodymyr Zelensky's consent to name one of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 'Heroes of the UPA' ... I have decided to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from the president of Ukraine.
10. Historical truth is not, and can never be, a bargaining chip. Remembering the victims is a moral obligation of the Polish state.
Donald Tusk
Civic Platform
1. The conflict between Poland and Ukraine delights Putin and shocks our allies. The task of Presidents Zelenskyy and Nawrocki is to calm emotions, not to stoke tensions. The front line runs elsewhere.
2. I hope nothing like that will undermine all the effort, mainly on Poland's part, to organise this huge undertaking.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Ukraine Government
1. Ukraine is grateful to the Polish People for their support and cooperation.
2. I am proud of our people and of EVERY Ukrainian warrior.
3. Today, I sent the Order back to the President of Poland. I believe the future will confirm the respect Ukrainians deserve.
4. We believed that the Order of the White Eagle, awarded in 2023, was meant for the Ukrainian People and our army. That is what was said at the time. Today, I sent the Order back to the President of Poland.
Kyrylo Budanov
Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate
1. However, this should be an occasion for deep reflection, not crude political speculation.
2. Our nations have long-standing relations and ⁠different pages of history – both ⁠heroic and tragic.
3. This is a gift to the Moscow aggressor, who will certainly use it against both of our countries.
Dmitry Medvedev
Russian Federal Security Service
1. Poland's president has finally stripped (Zelensky) of the Order of the White Eagle.

Poland Removes Zelensky from Highest Honour Amid WWII Memory Dispute

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