Poland Strips Zelensky of Top State Honour Over WWII Dispute

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Warsaw: Poland has stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, the country's highest state honour, after Kyiv named a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a World War Two-era nationalist group.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki said the decision to honour the UPA was ‘outrageous’ and ‘deeply disappointing’, noting that many Poles view the group as responsible for the deaths of about 100,000 ethnic Poles during the Volhynia massacres of 1943-45.

The move has triggered a diplomatic row between the two allies, although Nawrocki stressed that Poland's support for Ukraine in its war against Russia would remain unchanged.

Ukraine defended the decision, saying the UPA is regarded by many Ukrainians as a symbol of resistance and a force that fought for the country's independence. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called Poland's decision a "strategic mistake" that would only benefit Moscow.

The dispute highlights long-standing differences between Warsaw and Kyiv over the legacy of the UPA. While Poland considers the group responsible for wartime atrocities, Ukraine views it as part of its struggle for independence.

Zelensky received the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 from then Polish President Andrzej Duda. The Ukrainian leader has not directly commented on the latest dispute.

Pic Credit: AFP