The President of Poland Stripped Zelensky of the Country's Highest Award 0 34

On May 26, 2026, Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree awarding a separate special operations center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces the honorary title of 'Heroes of the UPA.' This sparked a wave of harsh condemnation in Poland due to the memory of the Volhynia massacre.

On June 8, 2026, a meeting of the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle took place, during which the president's proposal was considered. After receiving the Chapter's conclusions, Nawrocki held off, giving Kyiv informal time to 'correct the mistake' (rename the unit). Since this did not happen, the procedure was brought to completion.

The Order of the White Eagle is the highest state award in Poland. Volodymyr Zelensky was awarded this distinction in April 2023 by the previous President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, in recognition of his contributions to deepening relations between the countries and protecting human rights.