Polish President Strips Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle—While Mussolini and Catherine II Keep Theirs.

19.06.2026 857

19.06.2026 857

Polish President without order

Reversal of Honor: Zelensky Loses Poland's Highest Decoration

According to Espreso.tv: On June 19, 2026, Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced the revocation of the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This decision has sparked outrage among Ukrainian politicians and commentators, with debates extending beyond Zelensky himself to the historical significance of the award and its potential impact on Polish-Ukrainian relations. The Order of the White Eagle is one of Poland's most prestigious honors, yet its history raises eyebrows: Benito Mussolini and Catherine the Great remain recipients, despite their roles in Poland's destruction—Catherine dismantled the Polish state in 1795, while Mussolini backed Hitler's annihilation of Poland in 1939.

Ukrainian political figures have been vocal in their criticism. Volodymyr Aryev remarked that

“In Moscow today, they’ll pop a bottle of champagne. The Polish president has disrespected not the Ukrainian president, but the people.”

Dmytro Kuleba highlighted the irony, stating

“Poland’s president stripped Zelensky of the White Eagle but left it with Mussolini and Catherine II: what this new Polish-Ukrainian dispute is really about.”

Robert Biedroń echoed similar sentiments, noting that

“Putin is opening champagne,”

suggesting the move could be exploited in information warfare.

Kamila Gasyuk-Pikhovych pointed out that Nawrocki

“lacked the courage to visit Kyiv as president,”

implying a failure in diplomatic engagement from Poland. Jacek Sasin took a different stance, asserting that

“there will be no highest Polish honor for someone who glorifies UPA criminals.”

This controversy casts doubt on the future of Polish-Ukrainian relations, raising questions about mutual understanding between two neighboring nations with intertwined histories and shared interests. The revocation of Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle could have serious repercussions for bilateral ties, resonating widely within Ukrainian society and highlighting existing tensions in historical memory and political discourse. With Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, cooperation between Kyiv and Warsaw is more critical than ever, and such actions may threaten the strategic partnership between the two countries.