Former Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Zvarych refused a state award due to Navrotsky's decision
Kyiv • UNN
Vasyl Zvarych refused a Polish order in protest against the deprivation of Zelenskyy's award. He called it the destruction of Ukrainian-Polish reconciliation.
Ukraine's Ambassador to the Czech Republic and former ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, has refused the Polish Order of the Commander's Cross with Star of Merit, which he received from President Andrzej Duda in 2024. The diplomat announced his decision on social media, reports UNN.
Details
Zvarych explained his move as a protest against the decision of Polish President Karol Nawrocki to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, as well as against what he called the destruction of Ukrainian-Polish reconciliation.
Devotion to the interests of the Ukrainian state, the honor and dignity of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, my fellow diplomats, and the free and unbreakable Ukrainian people, as well as a deep sense of justice, compel me to refuse the state award of the Republic of Poland
Zvarych thanked his Polish friends for years of cooperation and support for Ukraine, emphasizing that his decision is not directed against Polish society.
Zvarych criticized Nawrocki's decision
The former ambassador called the stripping of Zelensky of the highest Polish award a "disproportionate and irresponsible" step.
Karol Nawrocki has effectively called into question decades of painstaking work aimed at Ukrainian-Polish reconciliation and understanding
The diplomat also stressed that Ukraine has never questioned Poland's right to honor its own heroes, and therefore expects the same attitude towards the sovereign right of Ukrainians to determine their own policy of historical memory.
Alliance can only be strong when it is based on mutual respect, equality, and recognition of each nation's right to its own memory, its own dignity, and its own heroes
Recall
Polish President Karol Nawrocki decided to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle and emphasized that there are limits in Polish-Ukrainian relations that cannot be crossed.
The decision was made after Nawrocki stated that he is critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to name a Ukrainian special operations forces unit after the "Heroes of the UPA."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named one of the units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the "Heroes of the UPA" at the end of May.
The Order of the White Eagle was awarded to Volodymyr Zelensky in 2023 by then-Polish President Andrzej Duda.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the decision to strip the President of Ukraine of the Order of the White Eagle a strategic mistake by the President of Poland and added that he would return his Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
The Office of the President commented on the decision of Polish President Karol Nawrocki to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the previously awarded Polish Order of the White Eagle. Head of the OP Kyrylo Budanov called it a "gift to the Moscow aggressor," added that Ukraine will assess this event, and refused his own Polish award.
Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar stated that he is returning a Polish award amid the decision of Polish President Karol Nawrocki to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Polish Order of the White Eagle, while the diplomat called for "a frank conversation."