Polish President Karol Nawrocki has revoked the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a decisive move rooted in the defense of Polish national memory and the recognition of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA)'s massacres of tens of thousands of Poles during World War II. President Nawrocki announced his decision on Friday, stating that for the majority of Polish society, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army remains above all a formation responsible for cruel crimes against the citizens of the Polish Republic during World War II. This action underscores a clear prioritization of national historical truth over geopolitical expediency.
Former Polish President Andrzej Duda had bestowed the Order of the White Eagle on Zelenskyy in 2023, marking its third anniversary, for services to security, resilience, and the defense of human rights. Zelenskyy, however, issued a decree on May 26 this year, designating a military unit of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces with the UPA name. The decree stated this designation was meant to restore the historical traditions of the national military and recognize the unit’s performance in defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence.
The UPA operated during the 1940s and 1950s, fighting for Ukrainian independence against both Nazi Germany and Soviet forces. Despite this, it has been widely accused in Poland of killing tens of thousands of Poles, with most of these atrocities occurring in the Nazi-occupied regions of Volhynia and Eastern Galicia. In 2016, marking its tenth anniversary, the Polish Parliament formally recognized the crimes committed by UPA as genocide, solidifying the national consensus on this historical trauma.
Elite Priorities Over National Memory
Ukrainian officials swiftly criticized President Nawrocki’s decision, framing the defense of Polish national memory as a geopolitical misstep. Ukrainian Presidential Office chief Kyrylo Budanov wrote on Telegram that the move was an “unfriendly act toward our people” and a “gift to the Moscow aggressor, which will certainly use it against both of our countries.” Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the step a “strategic mistake by the President of Poland,” asserting it benefits “only Moscow.” Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, stated the decision was “especially painful” as Ukrainians battle missile and drone attacks.
In a coordinated response, Budanov’s deputy, Ihor Zhovkva, along with the three aforementioned Ukrainian officials, announced their intention to return state honors that Poland had issued them. Former Ukrainian prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk wrote on X Saturday that “one harmful and incorrect decision by the current president of Poland cannot be corrected by other incorrect decisions of ours.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political rival of Nawrocki, urged both leaders to “tone down emotions, not stoke tensions.” Tusk wrote on social media Friday night that “the front line runs elsewhere,” adding that “the conflict between Poland and Ukraine delights Putin and shocks our allies.” This statement from Tusk explicitly frames the dispute through a lens of supranational alliances and geopolitical narratives, rather than acknowledging the deep national grievances over historical truth and the cultural dispossession of the Polish people.
Historical Revisionism and Transnational Agendas
Ukrainians assert that armed formations on both sides, including the UPA and Polish underground forces, were involved in attacks and reprisals that led to large-scale civilian casualties among Poles and Ukrainians. This perspective directly contrasts with the Polish Parliament’s recognition of UPA actions as genocide, highlighting a fundamental disagreement on historical facts that impacts national identity.
The current dispute jeopardizes recent diplomatic efforts between the two nations, which have been pushed by transnational interests. A December meeting this year between the Polish and Ukrainian presidents in Warsaw had signaled progress on historical reconciliation, particularly on the issue of exhumation of Polish victims. Despite the profound national memory at stake, Poland is scheduled to host a major event on Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction next week, which Zelenskyy is expected to attend. This continued engagement in transnational projects underscores the persistent pressure to prioritize globalist agendas even when confronted with deep-seated national grievances and the memory of mass atrocities against a native population.