Poland's president has asked an advisory council to review whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy should be stripped of the Order of the White Eagle after Kyiv renamed a special forces unit for the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The UPA is associated with the Volhynia massacres of 1943–45, which Polish authorities say killed around 100,000 Poles. The Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle will meet on June 8 to consider the proposal, and officials say formal procedures must be followed before any decision is made. Poland continues to describe support for Ukraine as a strategic priority despite rising tensions over the renaming.
Poland May Strip Zelenskiy Of Top Honour After Ukraine Names Unit For Controversial UPA
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to the media as he arrives to attend an informal European leaders' summit in Ayia Napa, Cyprus April 23, 2026. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
WARSAW, May 29 (Reuters) - Poland's president has asked a state advisory body to review whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy should be stripped of Poland's highest decoration, the Order of the White Eagle, after Kyiv renamed a special forces unit in honour of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
Why The Decision Sparked Outrage
The UPA is a divisive symbol. Some in Ukraine view it as a resistance force that fought Soviet and Nazi domination and as a symbol of the nation's struggle for independence. But the UPA is also widely blamed for the Volhynia massacres of 1943–1945, which Polish authorities say resulted in roughly 100,000 Polish deaths. Thousands of Ukrainians also died in reprisals.
Poland's Response And Procedures
President Ryszard Nawrocki told reporters in Warsaw that he had proposed the matter be placed on the agenda of the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle, the advisory council that oversees the decoration. The Chapter is scheduled to meet on June 8. Nawrocki said formal mechanisms, including that meeting, must take place before any final decision on revocation can be made.
"Glorifying the UPA has provided Russian propaganda with ample oxygen for disinformation," Nawrocki said.
Poland's foreign ministry published a statement on X saying the renaming "wounds the memory of the victims of that organisation and strikes at the dialogue between our nations." Nawrocki — a conservative nationalist who has cited U.S. President Donald Trump as an influence and campaigned on a "Poles first" platform — has also tapped public unease over the large number of Ukrainians now living in Poland.
Ukraine's Reaction And Wider Context
A spokesman for the Ukrainian presidency declined to comment directly on Nawrocki's remarks but expressed gratitude for Poland's ongoing support. "We're just thankful to Poland for all the support and we hope that our independence, and Poland's, will remain strong despite all the Russian attempts to kill it," the spokesman said.
Zelenskiy received the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 from former President Andrzej Duda in recognition of his work to strengthen bilateral ties, democracy, peace and security in Europe, and for "steadfastness in defending inalienable human rights." Despite the current dispute, Polish officials insist that supporting Ukraine against Russia remains a strategic priority.
The Chapter's deliberations on June 8 and any subsequent formal steps will determine whether the award is revoked.
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