Nawrocki Moves to Revoke Zelensky’s Order Amid UPA Controversy
Karol Nawrocki has announced his decision to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, citing the Ukrainian military’s recent adoption of the UPA name. The...
Karol Nawrocki has announced his decision to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, citing the Ukrainian military’s recent adoption of the UPA name.
Table Of Content
The Decision to Revoke the Order
Karol Nawrocki stated that he decided to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from the Ukrainian president following consultations with the Chapter of the Order. The move was prompted by President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to name a Ukrainian Armed Forces unit after the Heroes of the UPA.
Volodymyr Zelensky was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in April 2023 by then-President Andrzej Duda for his contributions to Polish-Ukrainian relations and the defense of democracy. However, executing the revocation requires a countersignature from Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose stance on the matter remains undisclosed.
Political Reactions to the Move
The announcement triggered immediate political debate. European MP Robert Biedroń commented that “Putin is opening champagne,” while KO MP Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz criticized Nawrocki’s approach. Other critics, such as MP Adrian Witczak, warned that using diplomacy as “political theater” risks weakening allies and benefiting the Kremlin.
Conversely, the move found support among some opposition members. Sławomir Mentzen of Confederation praised the decision, while PiS MP Jacek Sasin argued that Poland must maintain its dignity and cannot award top honors to individuals who glorify the UPA.
The Historical Dispute Over the UPA
In May, President Zelensky designated a unit as “Heroes of the UPA,” aiming to honor the unit’s role in defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Historians note that the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) was responsible for the 1943 massacres of approximately 150,000 Polish civilians in the Volhynia region.
Poland and Ukraine maintain divergent historical interpretations of the OUN and UPA. While Poland defines the events as genocide, Ukraine often views these organizations through an anti-Soviet lens, focusing on their post-war resistance against the USSR rather than their actions against Poles.