Polish president seeks to strip Zelensky of Poland's highest civilian honour

Polish President Andrzej Duda announced on Friday his intention to revoke Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's highest civilian award. The move is linked to the ongoing historical dispute over the Volhynia massacre. The decision signals a deepening rift between Warsaw and Kyiv over unresolved wartime history.

Polish President Andrzej Duda declared on Friday that he intends to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of Poland's highest civilian decoration, in a move that underscores the persistent historical tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv.

The dispute centres on the so-called Volhynia shadow — the unresolved legacy of the Volhynia massacre, in which tens of thousands of Polish civilians were killed by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) during World War II. Poland has long demanded a fuller Ukrainian acknowledgment of these events, and the issue has periodically strained bilateral relations despite the two countries' otherwise close cooperation in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine.

Duda's announcement marks a significant diplomatic signal at a sensitive moment. Ukraine has relied heavily on Polish support since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with Poland serving as one of Kyiv's most important allies in terms of weapons, humanitarian aid, and political backing within the European Union and NATO.

The decision to revoke the award reflects broader frustrations within parts of the Polish political establishment over what they see as insufficient Ukrainian willingness to address historical grievances. Critics of the move warn that public disputes over historical memory risk undermining the unity needed to support Ukraine against Russian aggression.

No immediate response from the Ukrainian presidency had been reported at the time of publication. The episode is likely to attract close attention across the Baltic and Central European region, where the balance between historical reconciliation and wartime solidarity remains a delicate and contested issue.