Ukraine officials return Polish honors after Zelenskyy stripped of award
Key takeaways
- A decision to strip Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy of Poland's highest state honor benefited Moscow, Ukrainian officials said.
- The move could further strain ties between the two close strategic partners as Kyiv seeks to rally international support to pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine.
- On Friday, Nawrocki announced that Zelenskyy would be stripped of the Order of the White Eagle — Poland's highest state honor, which had been awarded by former President Andrzej Duda in 2023.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
A decision to strip Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy of Poland's highest state honor benefited Moscow, Ukrainian officials said. Warsaw has been one of Kyiv's key allies since Russia's war in Ukraine.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Fl1a Zelenskyy's chief of staff says he's convinced that Polish president's decision is 'not about justice' [FILE: April 2026]Image: Ievgen Shylko/DWAdvertisement Top Ukrainian officials said on Saturday that they were returning Polish state honors after Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland's highest award.
The move could further strain ties between the two close strategic partners as Kyiv seeks to rally international support to pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine.