Zelensky Pushes for National Pantheon Amid Escalating Diplomatic Rift with Poland

During Ukraine’s Constitution Day, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a legislative proposal for a National Pantheon to honor those who fought for the country, intensifying tensions over historical memory and national heroes.

Zelensky’s Stance on National Identity

On Sunday, during Ukraine’s Constitution Day, President Zelensky declared that no one will dictate how Ukrainians live, speak, or choose their heroes. He announced he has submitted a bill to parliament to establish a Ukrainian National Pantheon.

Zelensky stated that the names of all historical figures who fought for and inspired Ukraine will be preserved in history with deep respect. He emphasized that this is a matter of state self-respect and the protection of the right to be Ukrainian.

Escalating Polish-Ukrainian Tensions

This initiative follows significant friction between Warsaw and Kyiv. In May, Zelensky renamed a Special Operations Forces unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a move that triggered a wave of criticism from Polish officials, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

The situation escalated when it was announced that President Andrzej Duda’s award, the Order of the White Eagle, would be revoked from Zelensky. In response, Zelensky returned the medal to Warsaw via courier. Subsequently, former Ukrainian presidents and several high-ranking officials renounced their Polish state honors, while Jarosław Kaczyński declared he would return his Ukrainian Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise.

Historical Context and Diplomatic Consequences

President Zelensky was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in April 2023 for his contributions to strengthening Polish-Ukrainian relations and defending human rights. The current diplomatic cooling has already had tangible effects, with Zelensky and Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha skipping the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk.

Tensions remain further complicated by the recent repatriation of the remains of Andrij Melnyk, an activist of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), to Ukraine.