---
title: "Jarosław Kaczyński to return the Order to Zelenskyy: harsh reaction to 'Banderites' and Lviv's debts"
description: "The leader of the Polish opposition, Jarosław Kaczyński, announced the return of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise to Ukraine. The politician called this an act of loyalty to the President of Poland and a harsh criticism of Ukrainian elites, while also accusing the Mayor of Lviv of non-payment to Polish firms. 🇵🇱🇺🇦🚫"
date: 2026-06-25T12:44:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kaczynski-to-return-order-to-ukraine-criticism-of-elites
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Jarosław Kaczyński to return the Order to Zelenskyy: harsh reaction to 'Banderites' and Lviv's debts

![Jarosław Kaczyński at a press conference discussing the return of the order to Zelensky](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/25/kachynsky-vernet-ukraine-orden-kritika-ukrainskikh-elit/kachynsky-vernet-ukraine-orden-kritika-ukrainskikh-elit-1.webp)

Polish-Ukrainian relations, already in a zone of turbulence, have received a new powerful impulse of tension. The leader of Poland's largest opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS), Jarosław Kaczyński, publicly announced his decision to return a state award to Ukraine. The politician called this step an act of loyalty to the President of Poland and an expression of his attitude towards Ukrainian elites.

### A symbolic gesture and political calculation

Kaczyński's decision became a response to a complex diplomatic situation. The award — the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 2nd class — was presented to the opposition leader by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on June 1, 2022. The explanatory note accompanying the award spoke of a "significant personal contribution" to strengthening cooperation and supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity.

However, the Polish politician has now given a harsh assessment of the situation. According to him, returning the order is a signal addressed not to the Ukrainian people as a whole, but specifically to the representatives of power. "This will be an expression of my attitude, perhaps not so much to Ukrainians as to Ukrainian elites. Moreover, it is an act of loyalty to our president; such acts are needed today," Kaczyński stated during a press conference.

### The Lviv incident and the money question

The conflict is made particularly acute by Kaczyński's criticism of specific figures in the Ukrainian government. The leader of PiS severely criticized the presence of Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyy at the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference (URC), which is taking place in Gdańsk.

In his speech, Kaczyński did not hold back his emotions, calling Sadovyy a "Banderite" and pointing out financial claims. "Regardless of the fact that he is a Banderite, this person does not pay a Polish company for work already done," he noted. For the opposition politician, Lviv's participation in the conference became proof of how Ukraine treats Poland.

### Escalation: from orders to archives

The current crisis is a continuation of a chain of mutual diplomatic insults. Relations between the countries deteriorated sharply after Zelenskyy assigned the honorary title "Heroes of the UPA" to one of the Special Operations Forces units. In response, the President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, deprived the Ukrainian leader of the Order of the White Eagle.

Zelenskyy sent the award back by mail. In Poland, the Order of the White Eagle was handed over to the President's Office for storage: the certificate lost its validity, and the order itself, along with the documents, was sent to the archives. Now, with Kaczyński announcing the return of the Ukrainian order, diplomatic correspondence is moving to the stage of mutual return of awards.

### Business against politics

Against the backdrop of the diplomatic war, voices of warning are being heard in Poland. In the midst of the scandal, Polish business called on the authorities of both countries to reduce tensions. Entrepreneurs emphasize that over the years of cooperation, thousands of business ties have been formed that should not be destroyed due to political disagreements.

Disagreements are also observed within the Polish establishment. The government of the Prime Minister explained the absence of President Nawrocki at the conference in Gdańsk by the format of the event, which was designed for government delegations. At the same time, Minister Tomasz Siemoniak supported Zelenskyy's decision not to come to Poland, calling it the right step to reduce tension.