Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Zelenskyy announced his decision on his Telegram channel, posting photos taken at a post office. One of the photos shows an “Ukrposhta” mailing form addressed to the office of the President of Poland, according to RBC.
“Yesterday, the President of Poland noted that the Order of the White Eagle is not an ordinary award. It is a symbol of the highest trust bestowed by the Republic of Poland. It signifies a special bond with the Polish state and the people’s deep gratitude,” Zelenskyy wrote.
The Ukrainian leader added that he does not intend to dispute the fact that this symbol remains with a number of historical and political figures, including Catherine II, Benito Mussolini, and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine remains grateful to the Polish people for their support and cooperation.
Karol Nawrocki stripped Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle on June 19, 2026. The decision was made after one of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was named “Heroes of the UPA” (Ukrainian Insurgent Army). The Polish leader stated that, despite this move, Warsaw would continue to support Kyiv.
The activities of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army remain one of the most sensitive issues in relations between Kyiv and Warsaw. Poland considers the mass killings of Poles in Volhynia in 1942–1943 to be genocide. In 2016, the Polish Sejm officially recognized these events as genocide and designated July 11 as the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Volhynia Massacre.
The situation has also caused a stir in Polish society. Former Polish President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Wałęsa stated that he would no longer wear the Ukrainian flag on his chest in protest against the Ukrainian authorities’ decision. According to him, honoring the UPA is an insult to the memory of Polish victims.
Following Warsaw’s decision, a number of high-ranking Ukrainian officials also declined Polish state awards. Ukraine’s Ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, called the revocation of Zelenskyy’s order “a strategic mistake by the Polish president, from which only Moscow stands to gain.” The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kirill Budanov, and Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga also announced their refusal of Polish awards.
It should be noted that the Order of the White Eagle was awarded to Zelenskyy in April 2023 by then-Polish President Andrzej Duda. Upon presenting the award, the Polish leader stated that it is intended for individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the Republic of Poland.
