Poland‑Ukraine diplomatic row over UPA name clouds Ukraine Reconstruction summit in Gdańsk

A diplomatic dispute between Poland and Ukraine over the naming of a Ukrainian army unit after the World War II Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) has dominated the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Gdańsk, Poland. President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to honor the unit led Poland to strip him of its Order of the White Eagle, prompting a wave of returns of the award by Polish public figures.

Zelensky subsequently missed the URC, which was scheduled for June 25‑26, 2026. Instead, Ukraine’s prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko led the Kyiv delegation. The conference, co‑hosted by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, aimed to mobilise investment for Ukraine’s reconstruction in energy, infrastructure and logistics, but the row over the UPA name and the exclusion of Polish President Karol Nawrocki from the event underscored lingering historical tensions.