The scandal surrounding the Order of the White Eagle has escalated between Kyiv and Warsaw
A new diplomatic scandal has erupted between Ukraine and Poland following Warsaw’s decision regarding the Order of the White Eagle, which had previously been awarded to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In response, Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga stated that he would return his state award to Poland.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga reacted to the Polish president’s decision to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle by announcing his intention to return his own state award to Poland. He announced this on the evening of June 19, calling the situation a move that worsens relations between Kyiv and Warsaw.
Sybiga emphasized that, in his opinion, the Polish side’s decision is politically misguided and plays into the hands of third parties. “The decision to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle is a strategic mistake by the Polish president, from which only Moscow stands to gain,” the minister said. He also added that in Warsaw, emotions had allegedly prevailed over a pragmatic approach, leading to “impulsive and disrespectful steps” not only toward the President of Ukraine but also toward the state as a whole. “In light of such reckless actions, I see no possibility of retaining the high state award of the Republic of Poland—the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland—which was bestowed upon me in October 2022. I will return it to Poland shortly,” Sibiga stated.
According to the foreign minister, Ukraine has sought in recent years to maintain a dialogue with Poland and resolve complex historical and political issues, in particular through joint scientific and research projects. He emphasized that despite the tensions, some progress had been made in this work; however, in his view, the current situation is setting back some of these achievements.
Sybiga also stressed that Ukraine does not accept external dictates regarding its history and state position, emphasizing the principle of mutual respect as the foundation for future relations between the countries. He made these remarks on the evening of Friday, June 19.
In Poland, public sentiment regarding the war and personal involvement in defending the country has changed significantly over the past three years. Fewer and fewer people are willing to take up arms or sacrifice their lives, and for many, the safety of their families and evacuation have become the priority.
