Ukraine Returns Polish Awards After Poland Revokes Honor From Military Unit

Ukrainian officials announced Saturday they are returning Polish state awards after Poland revoked the Order of the White Eagle from a Ukrainian military unit named after a nationalist group involved in World War II massacres. The top aide to the Ukrainian president said the aide is relinquishing the Gold Officer's Cross of the Polish Order of Merit.

The aide described the Polish president's action as a benefit to Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine.

Dispute Poland's president said the Ukrainian decision to glorify the nationalist unit was outrageous and undermined reconciliation between the two nations. The unit was involved in the deaths of thousands of Polish civilians between 1943 and 1945 in a region that was then part of Poland.

Poland's prime minister said the Ukrainian leader's choice was a bad decision but added that the leader had told the prime minister there was no intention to offend Poles. The prime minister appealed to both countries not to let history damage their future cooperation.

ambassador to Warsaw also said the ambassador would return the Knight's Cross of the Polish Order of Merit. The ambassador called the revocation especially painful and a gesture aimed at the entire Ukrainian people. Ukraine's foreign minister had already announced plans to return an award received from Poland in 2022.

The minister described the Polish decision as unjustified, impulsive, and disrespectful. " — Zelensky aide Kyrylo Budanov, June 20, 2026 (Le Monde with AFP) Russian officials welcomed the Polish decision. A former Russian president and current deputy chair of Russia's security council said Poland's president had finally stripped the Ukrainian leader of the order.