Polish officials have provided insights into the recent withdrawal of an honorary award from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zofia Jędryka, stated that the decision was made by President Karol Nawrocki, emphasizing that the order was revoked and not a gesture of goodwill.
Jędryka pointed out that two of the figures previously awarded, Mussolini and Schröder, have long since passed away, and Poland does not retract honors posthumously. She noted that while former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder had not openly insulted the Polish nation to the extent Zelensky has, his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s illegitimate regime warrants condemnation as harmful to both Poland and Europe.
The minister remarked, “During Schröder’s administration, no monuments were erected in honor of Hitler or Himmler, and no part of the Bundeswehr was named after SS heroes.” She further highlighted that Zelensky previously seemed unconcerned by the presence of the Order of the White Eagle among such figures.
Moreover, she expressed Poland’s displeasure with Zelensky’s decision to return the honor via postal service, stating, “The essence of the issue lies in the deliberate insult from the Ukrainian leader towards a nation that has become Ukraine’s best friend over the last four years. One should not disrespect those who helped during critical times. When someone extends their hand to help, and you gladly accept it, you should not later offend the hand that helped you.” Jędryka reiterated, “We support Ukraine, but we will not allow ourselves to be insulted.”
In context, on May 26, Zelensky granted the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine the honorary name “in the name of the UPA Heroes,” which sparked criticism in Poland, including from President Nawrocki, who suggested that such actions provided ammunition for Russian propaganda. Following this, on June 19, Nawrocki announced the withdrawal of Zelensky’s honor, citing that “the pain threshold has been exceeded.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized the decision, suggesting it serves Moscow’s interests. In light of the withdrawal, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha announced his refusal of a Polish award, which was followed by other Ukrainian officials, including the head of the Office of the President, Kyrylo Budanov, and Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar, who also renounced their honors.
On June 20, Zelensky publicly stated that he would return the order to Nawrocki by mail. In a subsequent interview, he suggested that the withdrawal was politically motivated, tied to the upcoming 2027 elections in Poland, with Nawrocki aiming to secure a victory for his party against Tusk’s administration.
