Piotr Fogler, a former member of the Polish parliament, has returned his state award, the Golden Cross of Merit, to President Karol Nawrocki. Fogler’s decision is a protest against the recent revocation of the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Fogler described the action taken by Nawrocki as “absurd.” He emphasized that his gesture was directed at the current president rather than at the former president, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, who awarded him the honor.
“I symbolically return my award to this resident of the Belvedere Palace as a sign of protest against the absurd decision to strip the president of Ukraine, a country that is fighting, of his order!” Fogler wrote.
He criticized Nawrocki’s presidency, labeling it a “nightmare” and stating that he does not view him as a legitimate leader of Poland but rather as a “misunderstanding.” Fogler also expressed his frustration regarding the ongoing electoral process, noting, “I am still waiting for the National Electoral Commission to count the votes… because I do not yet know the final results of these elections.”
In response, Prime Minister Donald Tusk remarked that further involvement of Polish and Ukrainian politicians in this matter represents a “strategic mistake” that could harm both nations.
“The involvement of politicians from Poland and Ukraine in this conflict is a strategic error that will damage both sides: in terms of business, geopolitics, and reputation. In politics, as is well known, a mistake is worse than a crime. In my negotiations with my European partners, I aim to minimize losses and reduce tension. This is a challenging task,” Tusk stated.
On June 19, President Nawrocki announced the revocation of Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle, which had been awarded by former President Andrzej Duda in 2023. That same day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga announced his refusal of the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of Poland.
Subsequently, former Ukrainian presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko also renounced their Orders of the White Eagle. Other notable figures, including the former head of the GUR MO and current head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Budanov, his deputy Ihor Zhovkva, and Ukrainian Ambassador to Warsaw Vasyl Bodnar, have also declined Polish honors.
President Zelensky addressed the revocation of his award, stating that he believed the honor was meant for the Ukrainian people and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“Ukraine is grateful to the Polish people for their support and cooperation, which plays a significant role in our struggle for both our and your independence from Russia. Ukraine never forgets solidarity and understands that cooperation between states and peoples in our region is one of the tangible guarantees of security for both Ukrainians and every neighboring state,” Zelensky emphasized.
Zelensky also noted that Ukraine remains open to all substantive formats of interaction with Poland.
On May 26, Zelensky issued a decree naming the Separate Special Operations Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the Heroes of the UPA. This decision aimed to “restore the historical traditions of the national army.” On May 29, President Nawrocki criticized Zelensky for this naming and suggested revoking Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle.
The decision sparked outrage among some Polish historians and politicians, who reminded that UPA fighters committed crimes against Poles in Volhynia. The Polish Institute of National Remembrance stated that the UPA is responsible for the “genocide in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia,” asserting that the creation of a cult around the Ukrainian Insurgent Army should be opposed by all who remember its actions.
Former Polish President Lech Wałęsa, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who has supported Ukraine and Zelensky, also condemned the decision, stating he would remove the badge in the colors of the Ukrainian flag that he has worn since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion. In a Facebook post, he remarked that “the Ukrainian president, by honoring the UPA bandits, has offended me and all our murdered compatriots.”
On June 5, Prime Minister Tusk stated that the Ukrainian side needs to “seek solutions” to resolve this issue. He expressed understanding of President Nawrocki’s reaction regarding the revocation of Zelensky’s honor, emphasizing that “no one will divide Polish public opinion or Polish authority when it comes to the past and history.”
Zelensky has not publicly commented on the naming of the special operations unit, but Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga claimed that Ukrainian soldiers chose the name themselves and did not intend anything “anti-Polish” or to offend the Polish people.
Former Polish MP Piotr Fogler has returned his Golden Cross of Merit in protest against President Nawrocki's decision to revoke the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Zelensky. Prime Minister Tusk cautioned that further political involvement could harm relations between Poland and Ukraine.