[94821] Diplomatic crisis between Poland and Ukraine: The Order of Merit turmoil

Diplomatic tension: Orders of merit and sharp statements

In the last 24 hours, intense diplomatic tension has developed between Warsaw and Kyiv against the backdrop of the revocation of the 'Order of the White Eagle' from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Chancellery of the President of Poland explained its decision to retain the decorations of controversial historical figures such as Benito Mussolini and Catherine the Great by stating that these are decorations that are not revoked posthumously.

At the same time, the Minister in the Polish President's Office, Agnieszka Jędrzak, justified the revocation of the decoration from Zelensky, claiming that unlike Gerhard Schröder, the Ukrainian President "openly insulted the Polish nation." As reported in UA Stream, the Poles claimed that under Schröder's rule, no monuments were erected to Hitler or Himmler, and that the German army did not commemorate SS members.

On the other hand, there is noticeable agitation on the Ukrainian side. Ukraine's Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Vasyl Zvarych, announced that he is renouncing the "Cross with Star" decoration awarded to him by former Polish President Duda as an act of solidarity and protest, according to Оперативний ЗСУ.

The Zone AP channel – characterized by a highly critical stance toward all parties involved in this coverage – chose to highlight the Polish claims while using blunt language and criticism toward Ukraine's leaders, and simultaneously reported on massive missile strikes against military warehouses in the Donetsk region, Makiivka and Horlivka, which led to widespread power outages in the area.