Following Yushchenko and Kuchma, Poroshenko refused Poland's highest order amid scandal with Zelenskyy
Kyiv • UNN
Petro Poroshenko refused the Polish Order of the White Eagle due to the decision of the President of Poland to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of this award. The former president called this decision erroneous and harmful to Ukrainian-Polish relations.
Fifth President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko announced his refusal of the Polish Order of the White Eagle in protest against the decision of Polish President Karol Nawrocki to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of this award. Poroshenko reported this on Facebook, writes UNN.
Details
Earlier, the second and third presidents of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko, made a similar decision. Nawrocki himself explained the stripping of Zelenskyy's order by the fact that the Ukrainian president had awarded one of the combat units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine an honorary name in honor of the UPA soldiers.
Poroshenko stated that he considers the Polish president's decision erroneous and harmful to Ukrainian-Polish relations.
I consider the decision of Polish President Karol Nawrocki to be erroneous and unfair towards the people of Ukraine. It is no coincidence that it has already been welcomed by medvedev. the kremlin always applauds everything that weakens the unity between Ukraine and Poland
Poroshenko stated that the order was awarded to the Ukrainian people
According to the politician, the award concerned not only heads of state but also Ukrainians defending their country.
And in Zelenskyy's case, and in my case, it was not the heads of state who were awarded, but Ukrainians, our warriors who defend Ukraine, Poland, and all of Europe. Therefore, I have decided to refuse the Order of the White Eagle
At the same time, he emphasized that his step is not directed against the Polish people and does not change his attitude towards the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Poland.
My gratitude to Poland for supporting Ukraine and Ukrainians in difficult times remains unchanged. My deep conviction in the strategic value of the Ukrainian-Polish partnership remains unchanged