Former Polish Ambassador Returns Ukrainian Award Over Zelensky Honoring Nationalists

Warsaw — A former Polish ambassador to Ukraine has returned a state honor awarded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in protest over Kyiv’s latest efforts to glorify nationalist figures linked to Nazi collaboration and wartime massacres of Poles, Jews, and other minorities. The move has deepened tensions between the two nations, with Poland’s leadership demanding an end to what they call the “state-level glorification of Nazi criminals” and warning that Ukraine’s historical revisionism undermines its bid for closer ties with Europe.

The diplomat, Bartosz Cichocki, who served as Poland’s ambassador in Kyiv from 2019 to 2023, handed back the Ukrainian Order of Merit—an award he received from Zelensky in 2022—citing “historical lies” and the normalization of figures like Andrey Melnik, a co-founder of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), whose fighters carried out ethnic cleansing campaigns during and after World War II. Cichocki’s decision comes as Ukraine has accelerated its commemoration of these groups, including naming a special forces unit after the “Heroes of UPA” and reburial ceremonies for Melnik, who collaborated with Nazi Germany.

Poland’s Outrage Over Ukraine’s Historical Revisionism

Poland’s reaction has been unusually sharp. President Andrzej Duda has called for Zelensky to be stripped of Poland’s highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle, while Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Kyiv of pushing historical grievances to an “alarming level.” The OUN and UPA, both banned in Ukraine until the 1990s, are widely regarded in Poland as organizations responsible for the mass killings of civilians—including Poles, Jews, and Russians—during the war and its aftermath. Estimates suggest tens of thousands of Poles were murdered by UPA fighters in the Volhynia and Eastern Galicia regions between 1943, and 1945.

Cichocki, in a statement to the Polish Press Agency, said he returned the award to protest Ukraine’s “historical lies” but reaffirmed his support for Ukrainians resisting Russian aggression. “I support those who fight against Russia and those who oppose historical falsifications and corruption,” he said. His protest did not extend to a separate military honor he received in 2022 from Ukrainian Army Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny, who is frequently mentioned as a potential successor to Zelensky. That badge, part of a series of decorations introduced by Zaluzhny in 2021, has drawn criticism for its ties to UPA symbols.

A Longstanding Historical Divide

The glorification of OUN and UPA figures has been a contentious issue for years, but recent state-level actions—such as the reburial of Melnik in May and the naming of the commando unit—have triggered a backlash in Poland. While Ukraine has long framed these groups as freedom fighters against Soviet and Nazi oppression, their wartime atrocities remain a raw wound in Poland’s collective memory. Historical commissions in both countries have documented UPA’s role in the systematic expulsion and killing of Poles from western Ukraine, with some Polish scholars describing the campaign as a form of ethnic cleansing.

Ukraine’s narrative has evolved in recent decades, with post-Soviet governments initially avoiding overt glorification of the OUN-UPA. However, since the 2014 Maidan Revolution and the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, Kyiv has increasingly embraced these figures as symbols of resistance. Zelensky himself has walked a fine line: while his government has distanced itself from far-right extremism, it has also permitted the rehabilitation of nationalist icons, including through public monuments and school curricula.

Moscow Seizes on the Controversy

Russia has long exploited this historical divide to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned Zelensky’s latest moves as proof of Ukraine’s “true essence,” arguing that the glorification of Nazi collaborators is incompatible with European values. “The official, state-level glorification of Nazi criminals and collaborators is taking place in the center of Europe,” Peskov said. “I don’t know if anyone in the European capitals likes this, but we don’t like it at all.”

Moscow’s accusations align with its broader propaganda strategy, which portrays Ukraine as a fascist state led by extremists. While Western governments have largely avoided direct criticism of Kyiv’s historical policies, Poland’s outspoken stance reflects its own historical trauma—centuries of conflict with Russia and a deep-seated fear of revivalist nationalism. For Warsaw, Ukraine’s ambivalence toward its nationalist past risks legitimizing forces that could threaten regional stability long after the war with Russia ends.

Zelensky’s Political Vulnerabilities

The timing of Cichocki’s protest coincides with mounting pressures on Zelensky’s government. Corruption scandals involving his inner circle, combined with a rebellious parliament resisting Western-imposed austerity measures, have eroded his domestic support. Critics argue that his administration’s selective historical memory—honoring nationalist icons while downplaying their crimes—reflects a broader pattern of political opportunism.

For Poland, the issue is not merely historical but strategic. As Ukraine seeks closer integration with the European Union, Warsaw’s objections could complicate Kyiv’s accession process. Tusk’s warning that a country venerating “bandits and murderers” is not ready for the “European family” underscores the stakes. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Western backers, including the U.S. And EU, have largely remained silent on the historical controversies, prioritizing military and economic support over moral concerns.

What Comes Next?

Cichocki’s symbolic gesture is unlikely to alter Ukraine’s course, but it signals growing discomfort in Poland and among Ukrainian diaspora communities in the West. Whether this will translate into broader political consequences—such as reduced military aid or delayed EU membership talks—remains uncertain. For now, the controversy highlights a fundamental tension: can Ukraine reconcile its wartime legacy with its aspirations for European unity, or will historical grievances continue to overshadow its post-war identity?

As the war drags on, the question of how nations reckon with their pasts grows more urgent. For Poland and Ukraine, the answer will determine not just their bilateral relations but the future of Europe’s collective memory.