Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle Returned to Polish Presidential Office Custody

The Order of the White Eagle, returned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has been deposited at the Chancellery of the President of Poland, with formal revocation procedures currently underway.

Processing the Returned Order

Presidential spokesperson Rafał Leśkiewicz confirmed that the Order of the White Eagle was received by the Chancellery of the President of Poland on Monday. The decoration has been transferred to the vault of the Office of Decorations and Appointments.

Formal finalization of the case requires the publication of the President’s decision, which must be countersigned by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and subsequently published in the Monitor Polski.

Administrative Implications and Status

Leśkiewicz stated that because the honor granted in 2023 is effectively void, the order and its credential certificate will remain in permanent custody. He emphasized that the decoration cannot be re-awarded to anyone.

Regarding diplomatic tensions, the spokesperson noted that the Ukrainian side had previously attempted to arrange both a phone call and a physical meeting in Warsaw, but these initiatives were abandoned by the Ukrainian side without further explanation.

Diplomatic Friction and Resignations

Leśkiewicz rejected claims that the Polish side escalated the issue for domestic political gain, asserting that President Zelensky is misrepresenting the facts regarding these failed diplomatic contacts. This move follows President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to revoke the honor after Zelensky named a Ukrainian military unit after UPA “Heroes.”

In response to the revocation, former Ukrainian Presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko renounced their own Polish decorations. Similar renunciations were made by Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha, Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanow, his deputy Ihor Zhovkva, and Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar.