Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has declined to accept the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Merit from Poland, following the controversial decision to strip President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle. Sybiha announced his decision on Facebook, emphasizing that Ukraine did not seek this conflict.
He stated that emotions have clouded judgment in Poland, leading to impulsive actions from Polish politicians against not just President Zelensky but against Ukraine as a whole. “For a year and a half, we have actively worked to resolve differences, depoliticize historical issues, and facilitate professional and scientific collaboration,” he noted, mentioning ongoing search efforts in Huta Pieniacka as a point of cooperation.
“The current escalation in relations between Poland and Ukraine is counterproductive and unnecessary for both sides,” Sybiha added.
In a related development, Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, condemned the decision to revoke Zelensky’s honor, labeling it a “catastrophic mistake” that could have far-reaching negative consequences for Ukrainian-Polish relations. He expressed this sentiment in a Facebook post, addressing Polish President Karol Nawrocki directly.
“This was a conscious, planned, and harmful decision, especially ahead of the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference in Gdansk and the Ukrainian-Polish Parliamentary Assembly,” Stefanchuk wrote.
He recalled that when Zelensky received the award in 2023, he did so on behalf of the Ukrainian people, asserting that Ukrainians are defending not only their own country but also their western neighbors.
“Orders can be revoked by decrees, but historical truths cannot be erased. Ukrainian soldiers are currently safeguarding the skies over the free world,” he remarked, expressing hope that no one would propose awarding the revoked honor to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On June 19, President Nawrocki rescinded Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle, which had been awarded by former President Andrzej Duda in 2023. This decision came in response to Zelensky’s designation of a special operations unit in the Ukrainian armed forces as “named after the Heroes of the UPA,” a move that sparked outrage among some Polish historians and politicians.
Critics, including the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, condemned the glorification of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), citing its historical involvement in violence against Poles during World War II. Former Polish President Lech Wałęsa, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also condemned Zelensky’s actions, stating that honoring the UPA was an insult to the victims of past atrocities.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has urged the Ukrainian side to seek solutions to the ongoing tensions, acknowledging the validity of Nawrocki’s reaction. He emphasized that public opinion in Poland would not be divided when it comes to historical matters.
While Zelensky has not publicly addressed the naming of the special operations unit, Sybiha defended the decision, asserting that Ukrainian soldiers chose the name themselves without any intention to offend Poland.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has rejected a Polish honor in response to the revocation of President Zelensky's award, citing escalating tensions over historical issues. The situation highlights the complexities of Ukrainian-Polish relations amid ongoing debates about historical narratives.