Former Polish President Andrzej Duda has categorically rejected claims made by historian Grzegorz Motyka regarding a secret 2022 agreement with Volodymyr Zelenskyy concerning historical disputes over the Volhynia massacre.
The Order of the White Eagle Controversy
Professor Grzegorz Motyka, a historian specializing in Polish-Ukrainian relations, was questioned on TVN24 regarding Karol Nawrocki’s move to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle. Nawrocki initiated this action after the Ukrainian president named a military unit “Heroes of the UPA.”
Motyka described the move as an overreaction, noting that Zelenskyy received the award for defending his country against Russian invasion. He suggested that by taking this step, Nawrocki is distancing himself from the tradition of his predecessor, Andrzej Duda.
Motyka’s Allegations of a Secret Agreement
During the interview, Professor Motyka claimed to have received “shocking” information regarding an alleged pact between Duda and Zelenskyy from four years ago. He cited reports from the Ukrainian internet suggesting a secret January 2022 agreement to remain restrained regarding historical issues.
Motyka criticized the alleged deal for failing to lift the ban on exhumations of Volhynia massacre victims. He argued that Duda is the only president of the Third Republic during whose tenure the ban on exhumations and burials of Poles murdered by Ukrainians remained in force.
Duda’s Firm Rebuttal
Andrzej Duda formally denied the existence of any such agreement, calling the historian’s claims “drastically” untruthful. He stated that he consistently emphasized to both Poroshenko and Zelenskyy that historical issues, such as exhumations and proper commemorations, must be resolved to build a stable future.
The former president pointed to his joint visit with Zelenskyy to the Lutsk Cathedral on July 9, 2023, as evidence of their cooperation in commemorating victims. Duda concluded by expressing his full confidence in Karol Nawrocki’s competence to handle these sensitive historical matters.
