Polish President Karol Nawrocki. Photo: Facebook / Karol Nawrocki
Polish President Karol Nawrocki said he intends to seek the revocation of Poland’s highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle, from Volodymyr Zelenskyi. He cited the Ukrainian president’s decision to give an elite unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) the honorary name “Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.”
Onet reported this, according to Rubryka.
As a reminder, on April 5, 2023, then-Polish President Andrzej Duda awarded Zelenskyi the Order of the White Eagle, the country’s highest state decoration, during the Ukrainian president’s visit to Warsaw.
Karol Nawrocki is now initiating a review of that decision. He said that on June 8, the chapter of the Order of the White Eagle will meet, and he will propose adding the possible revocation of the Ukrainian president’s award to the agenda.
“The chapter of the Order of the White Eagle will meet on June 8. I have proposed adding the issue of stripping Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi of the order to the agenda,” Nawrocki said.
He also said that, in his view, Ukraine’s decision to name the SOF unit after the “Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army” had informational consequences beyond Ukraine.
“He gave Russian propaganda excellent material and plenty of fuel,” Nawrocki said, adding: “I assess this decision very critically.”
Background
The decree signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi states that the Separate Special Operations Center “North” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces has been given the honorary name “Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.” According to the Ukrainian side, the decision aimed to restore the historical traditions of the national army and took into account the unit’s exemplary performance in defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence.
The decision drew a negative reaction from the Polish side and became the subject of diplomatic contacts between the two countries.
In addition, on Thursday, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki met with Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar, during which the Polish side lodged an official protest. Warsaw stressed that the move is painful for part of Polish society.
The Polish side also emphasized that the decision provokes an emotional reaction and could affect attitudes toward Ukraine in Poland, especially in the context of the full-scale war.
Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór said on X that Poland views the naming of the Ukrainian unit after the “Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army” “unequivocally negatively.”
“This decision offends the memory of the victims of this organization and strikes a blow to the dialogue between our peoples. It may be used by Russian propaganda, which seeks to divide us and undermine support for Ukraine as it defends itself. We are raising this issue in talks with our partners from Ukraine,” he wrote.
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński also commented on the situation during the “Morning Conversation” program on RMF FM. He called the decision “bad.”
“This is a bad decision by Mr. President,” Kierwinski said.
He added that he would not want to see such tensions develop between Poland and Ukraine.
“The fact that President Zelenskyi made a mistake is a fact; there is nothing to discuss here. He should understand the historical sensitivity of Poles, especially given that Poland is the country that helps Ukraine the most. However, we must constantly remember what matters most. What matters most is victory over Russian imperialism,” the minister stressed.
As a reminder, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on the sidelines of the Bucharest Nine summit.
