Has Zelenskyy forfeited an honor — and Poland's sympathy?
Key takeaways
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sparked outrage with the renaming of an army unit.
- However, the decree has created serious tensions with Poland, one of Ukraine's most important allies in the war with Russia.
- After Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union in 1941, the partisan Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) was formed to fight for an independent Ukrainian state — which at first it did as Germany's ally.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sparked outrage with the renaming of an army unit. Polish President Karol Nawrocki wants to strip him of his country's highest order. Can PM Donald Tusk smooth things over?
https://p.dw.com/p/5Eoe NPolish President Karol Nawrocki (left) received his Ukrainian counterpart in Warsaw in December 2025Image: Czarek Sokolowski/AP Photo/picture alliance Advertisement On May 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a decree that a special forces unit of the Ukrainian army was being given the honorary name Heroes of the UPA, explaining that it was "to restore the historical traditions of the national army."
However, the decree has created serious tensions with Poland, one of Ukraine's most important allies in the war with Russia.