Published 21.03
Poland is withdrawing the country’s highest award, the Order of the White Eagle, awarded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced on X.
The announcement comes after Zelensky recently chose to name a military unit after the disputed nationalist guerrilla UPA, which is accused of mass murder of Poles during the Second World War. The choice of name caused an outcry in Warsaw.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemns Poland’s decision, which he calls “disrespectful” and “a strategic mistake”, according to AFP.
According to Polish estimates, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) killed around 100,000 Polish civilians in what is now western Ukraine during World War II, which Poland views as genocide.
