Polish President Strips Zelensky of Highest Honor – Reactions

Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki has stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the country’s highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle. The move was prompted by Zelensky’s decision to name a military unit after the nationalist Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which in Poland is primarily associated with atrocities committed against the Polish civilian population during WWII. The order was awarded to Zelensky in 2023 by Andrzej Duda, Nawrocki’s predecessor.

Nawrocki insulting a nation at war

Bogusław Chrabota, editor-in-chief of Poland’s Rzeczpospolita, rakes both Zelensky and Nawrocki over the coals:

I would like to set aside my obvious disapproval of Zelensky’s decision to name one of the Ukrainian units after the “Heroes of the UPA.” That was a distortion of history and a provocation of Polish patriotic sentiment. A misguided and unnecessary move. However, Nawrocki’s decision is, in my view, a far more serious act. It is an insult to the president of a nation at war and to the nation itself, as evidenced by the reaction of other Ukrainians who have been awarded Polish honors and have decided to return them. Was this not to be expected? I warned against it.

A tardy and pointless gesture

Poland’s Interia says the decision comes too late:

Had Karol Nawrocki trusted his own instincts and simply stripped the Ukrainian President of the Order of the White Eagle on the very first day – without dithering, without debate, without consulting the Order’s committee and without diplomatic talks with Ukraine – his gesture would have had an enormous impact. But now, having sent mixed signals, delayed the decision, and waited to see how things would develop, this comes across as just yet another attempt to trip up Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Pure politics aimed at a specific outcome, with no regard for the concrete consequences in the current international political climate.

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Set aside emotions

Ukrainian politicians must keep a cool head, argues Ukrainian political scientist Sergiy Taran on Facebook:

The Ukrainian side should not give in to emotional ups and downs. Instead, they should focus on talking about the future, joint projects, reconstruction, the economy, and security, especially as we share the same common enemy. As for the past, maximum openness and joint research are needed – above all by professional historians, not politicians. Especially since the shift to the right in Polish politics may be temporary. A large section of Polish society understands very well who is a friend and who is an enemy.

Putin enjoying the show

This is bad timing for such a row, warns political scientist Vladimir Pastukhov in a Telegram post picked up by Russia’s Echo:

Setting aside the question of whether the heroes of the UPA were, in fact, heroes – a matter best left for better times – I would prefer it if Zelensky did not fall out with the very people backing him today. Especially since historical memory, caught in the triangle between Ukraine, Russia, and Poland, is an extremely explosive issue. ... After the famous meeting in the Oval Office, a cartoon did the rounds online: Putin is sitting in an armchair, watching a video featuring Zelensky, Trump, and Vance and laughing his head off. Should we invite him to the cinema to watch the sequel?

See the original here.