Zelenskyy returns Poland’s top honor after Polish president revokes it in history dispute

Poland’s president revoked a top Ukrainian honor on Wednesday, prompting Volodymyr Zelenskyy to return the Order of the White Eagle, according to PBS NewsHour. The dispute centers on a decision by Zelenskyy’s government to name a Ukrainian military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization accused by historians of carrying out massacres of Poles during World War II.

The Order of the White Eagle is described as Poland’s highest state decoration. Nawrocki’s decision to strip Zelenskyy of the award was made amid heightened sensitivity in both countries over wartime historical memory, a subject that has periodically strained diplomatic relations as Poland supports Ukraine’s defense against Russia.

Zelenskyy’s return of the decoration followed the revocation decision. The sequence underscored how state honors, often used to report international partnership and respect between governments, can become entangled with domestic and historical controversies that carry political and public expectations.

PBS NewsHour reported that the immediate trigger for the award revocation was Zelenskyy’s choice to name a military unit after the paramilitary organization in question. The reporting described the group as one accused of massacres of Poles during World War II, a characterization that has been central to how the controversy was framed by Polish officials and public commentators.

The episode unfolded during a period when Poland, as a major neighbor and supporter of Ukraine, has faced ongoing questions about how to balance solidarity with Ukraine against Poland’s own political need to address historical atrocities and the families and communities affected by them. In Poland, disputes over names, commemorations, and symbols tied to wartime actors have also had effects on public order, with officials often emphasizing social cohesion and respect for victims.

Poland’s actions are likely to keep the historical dispute in focus, including the government process for reviewing or rescinding honors and the extent to which military naming decisions can create diplomatic costs. The next steps will depend on whether Polish authorities provide additional documentation or explanation of the revocation, and whether Ukrainian officials address the underlying naming controversy through clarifications, revisions, or additional context.