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Poland moves to strip Zelensky of honour for naming military unit after ... Poland moves to strip Zelensky of honour for naming military unit after group that massacred Poles May 29, 2026 | Defence , History , Politics Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Polish President Karol Nawrocki has announced plans to strip Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest honour, after the Ukrainian president named a military unit after a group that led massacres of ethnic Poles during World War Two. However, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose government regularly clashes with the opposition-aligned president, has sought to calm emotions, warning that the only one to benefit from conflict between Poland and Ukraine is Russia. Zaproponowałem, aby jednym z punktów było odebranie prezydentowi Zełenskiemu Orderu Orła Białego – Prezydent RP @NawrockiKn . pic.twitter.com/4NaOAIjO3C — Kancelaria Prezydenta RP (@prezydentpl)…

Polish president decides to strip Zelensky of honour for naming unit ... Polish president decides to strip Zelensky of honour for naming unit after group that massacred Poles Jun 19, 2026 | Politics Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. This is a breaking news story and may be updated as events unfold. Polish President Karol Nawrocki has announced that he will strip his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, of Poland’s highest honour in response to Zelensky naming a military unit after a group that led massacres of ethnic Poles during World War Two. The decision follows weeks of anger in Poland over the issue and failed efforts by Warsaw and Kyiv to reach a diplomatic solution. It also comes days before Zelensky is due to visit Poland for a major international conference on Ukraine’s postwar recovery. Nawrocki’s move was immediately condemned by the Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha , who called it “reckless” and a “strat…

FILE – Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File) By Associated Press PUBLISHED: June 19, 2026 at 12:58 PM PDT | UPDATED: June 19, 2026 at 1:01 PM PDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By CLAUDIA CIOBANU WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish President Karol Nawrocki said Friday he will strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest state honor over the Ukraine leader’s decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during World War II. Zelenskyy was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 by Poland’s then President Andrzej Duda for his services to security, resilience and the defence of human rights. But it will now be revoked after Zelenskyy issued a decree on May 26 naming a military unit of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces after the UPA — the Ukrainian Insurgent Army — which operated during the 1940s and 1950s and which is accused in Poland of mass killings . “For the majority of Polish society, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army r…

Poland-Ukraine Tensions Deepen as Nawrocki is Excluded From Ukraine ... In brief:Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki will not attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk this week after Prime Minister Donald Tusk did not extend him an invitation. The snub comes amid a broader diplomatic rift between Warsaw and Kyiv, triggered by Zelensky’s decision to name a military unit after UPA fighters, which prompted Nawrocki to strip the Ukrainian president of Poland’s highest state honor. Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki will not attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference taking place in Gdańsk this week, as Prime Minister Donald Tusk did not send him invitations to the event co-hosted with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Theannouncement came Mondayfrom Marcin Przydacz, head of the Presidential Bureau of International Policy, during a press conference in Warsaw. Invitations to foreign partners were issued jointly by Tusk and Zelensky, with Przydacz confirming that neither Nawrocki nor any officials from his office received one. Follow our coverage of the war on the@Kyivpost_official. “The president was not invited, so he will not go,” Przydacz said, adding that no officials subordinate t…

Poland Strips Zelensky of Highest Honor Over UPA Dispute ... - KyivPost In brief:Karol Nawrocki said he stripped Volodymyr Zelensky of Poland’s highest state honor after Ukraine approved naming a military unit after the UPA. In response, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced he would return a Polish award he received in 2022, calling the decision a strategic mistake that benefits Moscow. Polish President Karol Nawrocki said Friday he had revoked President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state distinction, citing Ukraine’s decision to grant a military unit the honorary title “Heroes of the UPA.” In a statementposted on X, Nawrocki said the Order of the White Eagle symbolizes Poland’s highest trust and gratitude and therefore requires recipients to respect values fundamental to the Polish state and society. Follow our coverage of the war on the@Kyivpost_official. “Such a symbol requires not only merit, but also respect for the values that form the foundation of our community,” Nawrocki said. The Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) was a nationalist partisan force that fought during and after World War II for an independent Ukrainian state. While ma…

Zelensky returns Poland’s highest honor amid escalating row ... Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky give a press conference following his meeting with Dutch Prime Minister in Middelburg on April 16, 2026. Robin Van Lonkhhuijsen/AFP/ANP/Getty Images War in Ukraine See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Warsaw, Poland AP — Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has returned Poland’s highest state honor, after the Polish president stripped him of the award as a politically charged dispute over World War II history resurfaced. Ukrainians believed the order “was meant for the Ukrainian People and our army,” Zelensky wrote in a social media post explaining the gesture. “Today, I sent the Order back to the President of Poland. I believe the future will confirm the respect Ukrainians deserve.” The message published on X is accompanied by photos of the Polish order and a postal receipt that it was about to be mailed to the Polish presidential office. President Karol Nawrocki decided to strip Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle over the Ukrainian leader’s decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Pol…

Polish president strips Zelensky of honorary title over military unit ... Polish president strips Zelensky of honorary title over military unit controversy, as Kyiv calls decision 'strategic mistake' by Dmytro Basmat, Dominic Culverwell June 19, 2026 10:06 PM (Updated: June 20, 2026 10:06 am ) 6 min read Karol Nawrocki, Poland's president, right, and Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. At a pivotal summit in Brussels, European leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion euros loan to support its military and economic needs over the next two years. (Damian Lemanski/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Europe Prefer on Google by Dmytro Basmat, Dominic Culverwell Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional details and comments from officials. Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped President Volodymyr Zelensky of the country's honorary Order of the White Eagle title on June 19 following public outcry over Zelensky's decision to name a serving Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). A World War II-era organization that fought for Ukraine's independence, the UPA is re…

Polish president strips Zelenskyy of honor over naming of army unit ... FILE - Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Dec. 19, 2025. Czarek Sokolowski/AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish President Karol Nawrocki said Friday he will strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland's highest state honor over the Ukraine leader's decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during World War II. Zelenskyy was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 by Poland's then President Andrzej Duda for his services to security, resilience and the defence of human rights. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But it will now be revoked after Zelenskyy issued a decree on May 26 naming a military unit of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces after the UPA — the Ukrainian Insurgent Army — which operated during the 1940s and 1950s and which is accused in Poland of mass killings. “For the majority of Polish society, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army remains above all a formation respon…

Media: Polish president weighs limiting contacts with Zelenskyy Polish President Karol Nawrocki is considering limiting his contacts with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid renewed tensions over historical issues, although Warsaw has no plans to reduce its support for Ukraine, according toDziennik Gazeta Prawna. The newspaper, citing officials close to the Polish president, reported that a formal position could be announced on July 11, the anniversary of the Volhynia massacres. The report follows Zelenskyy's remarks during Ukraine's Constitution Day celebrations on Sunday, when he said that "no one and nothing will ever dictate to us how to live, how to speak, whom to love, whom to be grateful to, or which heroes to honour." During the event, Zelenskyy also announced that he had submitted a bill to parliament to establish a Ukrainian National Pantheon, saying it would preserve the names of all those who fought for and inspired Ukraine throughout its history. According to Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, Poland's Presidential Palace views Zelenskyy's recent actions as a deliberate provocation linked to Kyiv's historical policy. "We are treating this announcement calmly becaus…

Zelensky's decision to name military unit after WWII-era Ukrainian ... Politics Zelensky's decision to name military unit after WWII-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army sparks outrage in Poland May 29, 2026 5:35 pm (Updated: May 29, 2026 10:45 pm ) • 3 min read Prefer on Google by Tim Zadorozhnyy Polish and Ukrainian flags in Warsaw, Poland on March 26, 2022. (STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Editor's Note: This article has been updated with a statement from Ukraine's Foreign Ministry. A decision by President Volodymyr Zelensky to name an elite Special Operations Forces unit after the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) has sparked criticism and political backlash in Poland. The decree entered into force on May 26 and was adopted "with the aim of reviving the historical traditions of the national army," Zelensky said . The move triggered outrage in Poland where the Ukrainian Insurgent Army is accused of conducting the Volyn massacres of 1943–1944, one of the painful chapters in Polish-Ukrainian history. Carried out in Nazi-occupied territories of what is now western Ukraine , UPA members killed tens of thousands of Poles, while thousands of Ukrainians were later killed in retaliat…

Polish president strips Zelenskyy of Poland's highest state honour ... By Tomasz Lezon & Andreas Rogal Published on 20/06/2026 - 14:35 GMT+2 • Updated 21/06/2026 - 11:10 GMT+2 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Copied Polish President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle has sparked controversy in Ukraine. Polish President Karol Nawrocki has announced that he is stripping his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state honour. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Nawrocki made the decision in response to Ukraine naming a military unit after the controversial World War Two Ukrainian Insurgent Army. In a video posted on X on Friday evening, Nawrocki stressed that the decision to withdraw the honour "is not directed against the Ukrainian nation" and "does not signify a change in the strategic direction of Poland’s security policy". He also underlined that Poland’s support for Ukraine in its war with Russia remains unchanged. At the same time,…

Polish-Ukrainian friendship masks a bitter, bloody history | AP News Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lays a wreath of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during his visit to Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, right, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lay flowers by a statue of late Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski, who died in 2010 Smolensk plane crash, in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, right, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, 2nd right, with his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with his wife Olena, left, as they meet at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Czarek Soko…

FILE - Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File) (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish President Karol Nawrocki said Friday he will strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland's highest state honor over the Ukraine leader's decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during World War II. Zelenskyy was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 by Poland's then President Andrzej Duda for his services to security, resilience and the defence of human rights. But it will now be revoked after Zelenskyy issued a decree on May 26 naming a military unit of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces after the UPA — the Ukrainian Insurgent Army — which operated during the 1940s and 1950s and which is accused in Poland of mass killings . Advertisement Advertisement “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 duri…

Zelenskyy loses Poland's highest honor during tensions ... - AP News Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File) WARSAW, Poland (AP) —Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyyhas returned Poland’s highest state honor, after the Polish president stripped him of the award as a politically charged dispute over World War II history resurfaced. Ukrainians believed the order “was meant for the Ukrainian People and our army,” Zelenskyy wrote in a social media post explaining the gesture. “Today, I sent the Order back to the President of Poland. I believe the future will confirm the respect Ukrainians deserve.” The message published on X is accompanied by photos of the Polish order and a postal receipt that it was about to be mailed to the Polish presidential office. President Karol Nawrockidecidedto strip Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle over the Ukrainian leader’s decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during WWII. Former Po…

Ukrainian officials criticize Polish president's decision to strip ... Zelenskyy returns Poland's highest honor after Polish leader revokes it in a spat over history Claudia Ciobanu And Volodymyr Yurchuk Associated Press Published: June 20, 2026 at 5:22 AM Updated: June 20, 2026 at 11:32 AM FILE - Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File) (Czarek Sokolowski, Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) WARSAW – Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has returned Poland's highest state honor, after the Polish president stripped him of the award as a politically charged dispute over World War II history resurfaced. Ukrainians believed the order “was meant for the Ukrainian People and our army,” Zelenskyy wrote in a social media post explaining the gesture. “Today, I sent the Order back to the President of Poland. I believe the future will confirm the respect Ukrainians deserve.” Recommended Videos The message published on X is accompanied by photos of the Polish order and a postal…

Zelenskyy returns Poland's highest honor after Polish leader revokes it ... Audio By Carbonatix WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has returned Poland’s highest state honor, after the Polish president stripped him of the award as a politically charged dispute over World War II history resurfaced. Ukrainians believed the order “was meant for the Ukrainian People and our army,” Zelenskyy wrote in a social media post explaining the gesture. “Today, I sent the Order back to the President of Poland. I believe the future will confirm the respect Ukrainians deserve.” The message published on X is accompanied by photos of the Polish order and a postal receipt that it was about to be mailed to the Polish presidential office. President Karol Nawrocki decided to strip Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle over the Ukrainian leader’s decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during WWII. Former Polish President Andrzej Duda bestowed the award on Zelenskyy in 2023 for services to security, resilience and the defense of human rights. Zelenskyy issued a decree on May 26 naming a unit of Ukraine’s Spe…

Poland's president snubs Zelenskyy over historical slight WARSAW — Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Friday said he would move to strip Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest state honor after Kyiv named a military unit after the wartime Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). “Unfortunately, President Zelenskyy has proven that Ukraine, given its mentality of glorifying the bandits and murderers of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, is not ready to be part of the European family,” Nawrocki said in a video circulated by his office on Friday. The move sparked warnings from Prime Minster Donald Tusk that only Russia stands to gain from a fight between Warsaw and Kyiv. Advertisement During the 1940s, the UPA fought against Soviet forces, and many Ukrainians today honor it as a symbol of resistance to Russian domination. However, the group was also responsible for massacres of Polish civilians, making references to the formation deeply painful and controversial in Poland. Zelenskyy on Tuesday issued a decree naming a special operations forces unit after UPA, citing the unit’s defense of Ukraine. That decision sparked outrage across the political spectrum in Poland. Ukraine’s ambassador …

Polish president strips Zelenskyy of honor over naming of army unit ... Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File) WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish PresidentKarol Nawrockisaid Friday he will strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest state honor over the Ukraine leader’s decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during World War II. Zelenskyy was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 by Poland’s then President Andrzej Duda for his services to security, resilience and the defence of human rights. But it will now be revoked after Zelenskyy issued a decree on May 26 naming a military unit of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces after the UPA — the Ukrainian Insurgent Army — which operated during the 1940s and 1950s and which is accused in Poland ofmass killings. “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 Repu…

FILE - Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File) (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish President Karol Nawrocki said Friday he will strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland's highest state honor over the Ukraine leader's decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during World War II. Zelenskyy was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 by Poland's then President Andrzej Duda for his services to security, resilience and the defence of human rights. But it will now be revoked after Zelenskyy issued a decree on May 26 naming a military unit of Ukraine's Special Operations Forces after the UPA — the Ukrainian Insurgent Army — which operated during the 1940s and 1950s and which is accused in Poland of mass killings . Advertisement Advertisement “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 duri…

Polish President Revokes Zelenskyy's Top Honour Over WWII Military Tribute Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File) Defense & Cybersecurity 2 min. Read Polish President Revokes Zelenskyy’s Top Honour Over WWII Military Tribute By chatnewstv June 20, 2026 Facebook X Linkedin Copy URL WhatsApp Telegram WARSAW, Poland (chatnewstv.com) — Polish President Karol Nawrocki said Friday he will revoke Poland’s highest state distinction awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Kyiv named a military unit in honor of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a World War II-era nationalist force accused by Poland of massacring tens of thousands of Polish civilians. Zelenskyy received the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 from then-Polish President Andrzej Duda in recognition of his leadership during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and his contributions to regional security and the defense of democratic values. The dispute emerged after Zelenskyy signed a decree on May 26 naming a unit of Ukraine’s Speci…

Ukrainian officials criticize Polish president's decision to strip ... Add NBC News to Google Ukraine launches drone strikes on Moscow 01:04 Get more news Live on Share Add NBC News to Google June 20, 2026, 5:30 AM EDT / Source : The Associated Press By The Associated Press WARSAW, Poland — A decision by Polish President Karol Nawrocki to strip Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest state honor was beneficial to Moscow, which has an interest in seeing Kyiv in conflict with its allies, Ukrainian officials said. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. Nawrocki announced on Friday that he will strip Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle over the Ukrainian leader’s decision to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused of massacring Poles during World War II. Former Polish President Andrzej Duda bestowed the award on Zelenskyy in 2023 for services to security, resilience and the defense of human rights. Zelenskyy issued a decree on May 26 naming a military unit of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, or UPA, which operated during the 1940s…