Polish President Karol Nawrocki has stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state honor. The decision has sparked controversy in Ukraine and shaken the close wartime partnership between the two nations.
The move stems from a dispute over World War II history, specifically Kyiv's decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Polish civilians during the war.
In response, President Zelensky has returned the honor to Poland. Foreign Minister and ambassador to Warsaw Andriy Sybiga also relinquished his Polish awards in solidarity. Ukrainian officials stated that the decision benefits Moscow, noting that Warsaw has been one of Kyiv's key allies since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine.
This diplomatic crisis arrives just days before a major conference on Ukraine's reconstruction is scheduled to take place in the Polish city of Gdańsk.