Nawrocki Seeks to Revoke Zelensky's 2023 White Eagle Order Over UPA Unit Naming
Updated
Updated · Kyiv Post · May 29
Nawrocki Seeks to Revoke Zelensky's 2023 White Eagle Order Over UPA Unit Naming
8 articles · Updated · Kyiv Post · May 29
June 8 is when President Karol Nawrocki wants Poland's Order of the White Eagle chapter to consider stripping Volodymyr Zelensky of the honor awarded in 2023.
Kyiv triggered the move by granting an elite special-operations unit the honorary title "Heroes of the UPA," tying it to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army's legacy.
Nawrocki said the designation fuels Russian propaganda, and Poland's foreign ministry said it insults victims and damages dialogue between Warsaw and Kyiv.
Any revocation would require formal procedures and the Polish prime minister's approval, making the proposal politically significant but not automatic.
The clash revives a core Polish-Ukrainian historical dispute: Poland links the UPA to the 1943-44 killings of tens of thousands of Poles, while Ukraine also casts it as part of its independence struggle.
As historical memory clashes with wartime alliance, can Poland and Ukraine's partnership survive?
Is Poland's move a principled stand on history or a political maneuver against its own government?
Poland Moves to Revoke Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle: Historical Memory, UPA Controversy, and the Future of Polish-Ukrainian Relations
Overview
On May 29, 2026, Polish President Karol Nawrocki began the process to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a move sparked by Zelensky’s decision to name a Ukrainian special forces unit after the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). This honor was originally given to Zelensky in April 2023 by President Andrzej Duda, recognizing his leadership and efforts to strengthen Polish-Ukrainian ties. The controversy highlights deep historical divides: Ukraine sees the UPA as freedom fighters, while Poland remembers them for wartime atrocities, straining relations even as both countries face ongoing threats from Russia.