Polish‑Ukrainian diplomatic row over Zelensky's White Eagle award

Poland's president Karol Nawrocki revoked the Order of the White Eagle from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after Zelensky announced the renaming of a military unit after the UPA. The move triggered a diplomatic dispute.

Minister of Special Services Tomasz Siemoniak said the decision was meant to de‑escalate tensions but stressed that Poland must act in its own interest. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski complained that a Polish firm, Control Process, had not been paid for building a waste‑incineration plant in Lviv, prompting a sharp retort from Lviv mayor Andrij Sadowy. The mayor demanded documentation of alleged unpaid invoices and argued that the project's delays were caused by the Ukrainian side, not the contractor. Sikorski replied that arbitration courts exist to settle such disputes, while officials from the President’s office criticised Sikorski’s comments as a breach of protocol. The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference in Gdańsk, where Polish‑Ukrainian cooperation and financing were being discussed.