A serious diplomatic crisis is brewing in relations between Warsaw and Kyiv, which could lead to an unprecedented precedent in Polish history. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who received Poland's highest state award — the Order of the White Eagle — in 2023, risks losing this title. The reason for such radical steps was the decision by the Ukrainian leadership to name a military unit after the UPA.
History and Status of the Highest Award
The Order of the White Eagle is not just a symbol, but the oldest and most important award of Poland, with a history spanning more than three centuries. Founded in 1705 and restored in 1921, the order is awarded for exceptional civil or military merits to the state. It is not divided into degrees and represents the pinnacle of the reward system.
The status of the award is confirmed by historical facts: during the interwar period, recipients included 24 Polish citizens and 87 foreigners, among whom were 33 monarchs and presidents, as well as prime ministers and ministers. After World War II, the awarding of the order resumed in 1992. The first recipient of the restored award in 1993 was Pope John Paul II.
The Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle oversees the observance of the rules and honor of the order. Its composition includes the Grand Master and five members appointed by the President of Poland for a term of five years. According to legislation, every newly elected president automatically becomes a recipient of the order, its Grand Master, and the Chairman of the Chapter.
Cause of Conflict: The UPA Name
The situation escalated after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on May 26 to name the Separate Center for Special Operations "North" as "named after the Heroes of the UPA". This move provoked a stormy reaction in Poland, where the UPA is often associated with the Volhynia tragedy and mass killings of Poles during World War II.
The new President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, evaluated Kyiv's actions extremely critically. He stated that this step demonstrates Ukraine's unreadiness to join the EU and called his position principled. Nawrocki directly stated that he is considering the possibility of depriving the Ukrainian leader of the highest state award.
Nawrocki's representative, Rafał Leszczyński, confirmed that the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle has already expressed its opinion on this matter. "The Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle gathered regarding the Order awarded to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. The Chapter expressed its opinion to the President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who participated in the meetings. The President will make a decision at the appropriate time," the statement reads.
Diplomatic Reaction and Arguments of the Parties
In Kyiv, they insist that their actions were not aimed at offending the feelings of Poles. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine explained that for Ukrainians, the UPA is a symbol of resistance to Russian imperialism and the occupation regime. At the same time, the head of the Polish government, Donald Tusk, called for direct negotiations so that emotional tension does not undermine bilateral solidarity in the face of Russian aggression.
Interestingly, there is no unity within the Polish establishment regarding the deprivation of the award. The head of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, spoke out against such a step. He emphasized that the Order of the White Eagle is still worn by former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, whose position on a number of issues is also far from ideal from Warsaw's point of view.
Volodymyr Zelensky received the order from former President Andrzej Duda on April 5, 2023. The award was presented as recognition of his contribution to strengthening friendship between the countries and defending human rights. Now, the fate of this symbol of friendship depends on political decisions made in Warsaw.