Top Ukrainian officials return Polish awards in WWII dispute
Key takeaways
- The move comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was stripped of Poland’s top honour.
- Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov; Ukraine’s ambassador to Warsaw, Vasyl Bodnar; and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Saturday they would relinquish awards bestowed by Poland.
- “Our nations have long-standing relations and different pages of history – both heroic and tragic,” Budanov posted on social media.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The move comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was stripped of Poland’s top honour.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Polish President Karol Nawrocki, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend an official welcome ceremony before their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, December 19, 2025 [Czarek Sokolowski/AP]By AP and Reuters Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026Top Ukrainian officials have said they are returning Polish awards after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was stripped of Warsaw’s top honour in a dispute between the allies over World War II massacres.
Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov; Ukraine’s ambassador to Warsaw, Vasyl Bodnar; and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Saturday they would relinquish awards bestowed by Poland.