Polish President Threatens to Strip Ukrainian Leader of Top State Honour

Poland’s President Proposes Withdrawal of Honorary Title from Ukrainian Leader Over Army Unit Renaming

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has announced plans to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s top honour, the Order of the White Eagle, following a decree signed by Zelenskyy naming a military special forces unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The UPA was involved in the Volhynia massacres in western Ukraine from 1943 to 1945, during which an estimated 100,000 Poles were killed.

The Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle, an advisory council overseeing the state decoration, will meet on June 8 to discuss the proposal. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that Zelenskyy’s move “wounds our historical sensitivity” and is causing concern regarding Poland-Ukraine relations.

Lech Walesa, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and key figure in Poland’s fall from communism in 1989, has announced he will stop wearing a Ukrainian flag pin as a result of the decision. Zelenskyy had signed a decree naming the UPA unit “Heroes of the UPA”, sparking outrage in Poland.

The move comes amid ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, with no clear end in sight to the conflict. Poland has been a major ally to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, serving as a key link for Western military aid.

Source: Al Jazeera