The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been stripped of a top Polish honour after a diplomatic row over the naming of a World War II unit. The decision, announced by Polish officials on Friday, has drawn a measured response from the UK, which has urged both sides to exercise restraint.
The honour, the Order of the White Eagle, was awarded to Zelensky in 2022 in recognition of his leadership during Russia's invasion. But Polish authorities have now revoked it, citing anger over Ukraine's decision to rename a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a nationalist formation that fought alongside Nazi Germany and carried out massacres of Poles during the war.
The move has sparked a fresh rift between the two allies, who have stood together against Russian aggression. The UK, a key backer of both nations, has called for calm. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We encourage our friends in Poland and Ukraine to resolve this matter through dialogue. The focus should remain on supporting Ukraine against Russia's illegal invasion."
For Poles, the UPA is a raw wound. The group's wartime killings of Polish civilians are a painful historical memory. In Ukraine, however, the UPA is often seen as a symbol of resistance against Soviet rule. The renaming of the unit, which is part of Ukraine's National Guard, has been described by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk as "a mistake".
Zelensky has not yet commented on the revocation. His office said it was "studying the matter". The Ukrainian foreign ministry expressed regret, stressing the importance of Polish-Ukrainian solidarity.
The row threatens to overshadow the ongoing war effort. The UK has urged both sides to avoid escalation. Labour MP and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns, said: "Historical grievances must not be allowed to undermine the alliance against Putin. We need a united front."
For ordinary Poles and Ukrainians, the dispute feels like a distraction from more urgent bread-and-butter concerns: the cost of living, energy bills, and the relentless war. In Warsaw, pensioner Anna Kowalski told me: "I want to help Ukraine, but this unit... It's hard to forget." In Kyiv, teacher Olena Shevchenko said: "We have a war to win. Can't we focus on that?"
The UK's role as a mediator is delicate. It has provided billions in aid to Ukraine and hosts thousands of Polish workers. The government is walking a tightrope, urging compromise without taking sides.
The order's revocation is not legally binding but carries symbolic weight. It is a reminder that even in war, history's ghosts do not stay buried. For now, the UK's call for restraint is a plea to keep eyes on the present enemy, not the past.
