Jarosław Kaczyński to Return Ukrainian State Decoration

Law and Justice (PiS) chairman Jarosław Kaczyński announced he will return his Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise to Ukraine, citing it as an act of loyalty toward Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

The Decision to Return the Decoration

Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, announced on Thursday that he will return the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, which he received in the summer of 2022. He described his decision as a gesture of loyalty toward Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

Kaczyński stated that his choice reflects his stance not toward the Ukrainian people, but toward the Ukrainian elite. He noted that he had previously advocated against escalating the conflict between Warsaw and Kyiv, but now perceives an aggressive escalation from the other side.

Stance on Historical Disputes

Kaczyński reiterated his position regarding the Volhynia massacre and the crimes committed by the UPA. He emphasized that his conditions for reconciliation remain: an admission of guilt, formal apologies, the proper burial of all victims, and the execution of necessary exhumations.

The Broader Context of Tensions

The diplomatic friction between Warsaw and Kyiv intensified after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named a military unit “Heroes of the UPA.” Despite intervention attempts by Polish officials, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, the decision stood.

Following this, President Karol Nawrocki revoked the Order of the White Eagle previously awarded to Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian President returned the decoration by mail, leading to a ripple effect where former Ukrainian presidents, including Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko, returned their own Polish honors. Consequently, Zelenskyy withdrew from the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, sending Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko as his representative.