Relations between Ukraine and Poland have come under strain after Polish President Karol Nawrocki revoked one of Poland's highest state honours previously awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The decision follows controversy over Zelenskyy's move to name a Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a wartime organisation that remains highly controversial in Poland due to its alleged role in massacres of Polish civilians during World War II.
President Nawrocki announced that Zelenskyy would be stripped of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest honour, which had been awarded in 2023 in recognition of his leadership during Ukraine's war against Russia and his contributions to defending freedom and human rights.
The move sparked a strong reaction from Ukrainian officials. Several senior figures, including intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Ukraine's ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, announced they would return honours previously awarded to them by Poland.
Budanov described the decision as an unfriendly act that could benefit Russia by creating divisions between two countries that have closely cooperated since the start of the war. Sybiha called the move a strategic mistake, while Bodnar said the decision was particularly painful as Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russian attacks.
Despite the dispute, Polish officials stressed that support for Ukraine's defence against Russia would continue. Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged both sides to lower tensions, warning that disagreements between Warsaw and Kyiv could serve the interests of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The controversy highlights long-standing historical disagreements between Poland and Ukraine over events that took place during World War II. While many Ukrainians view the UPA as a movement that fought for Ukrainian independence against both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, many Poles remember the group primarily for attacks that led to the deaths of thousands of Polish civilians.
The latest dispute represents one of the most serious diplomatic tensions between the neighbouring countries in recent years, despite their strong partnership since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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