The war against Russia has helped to solidify the strategic interests of Warsaw and Kiev, but a controversy rooted in World War II is severely testing the relationship between the two neighbors. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to award a special unit of the armed forces the honorary title of “UPA Heroes” has provoked an unprecedented reaction in Poland since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022.
At the center of the clash is the memory of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a partisan formation considered in Ukraine a symbol of the fight for independence but remembered in Poland for the massacres of tens of thousands of Polish civilians.
A DIVIDED MEMORY
Viewed from the western side of what was once the Iron Curtain, the dispute appears as one of the most delicate examples of how the past continues to influence the politics of Eastern Europe even in the midst of a war that seemed to have imposed new priorities. Poland has been one of Ukraine’s main supporters from day one, providing political, military, and humanitarian assistance. No other major Central-Eastern European country, except the Baltic States, has shown such determination in supporting Kiev against Russian aggression.
This support is also explained by Polish history. For centuries, the country has directly experienced the pressure of Russian imperialism and sees the survival of an independent Ukraine as an essential component of its national security.
But between Poles and Ukrainians there is also a painful memory that has never been fully processed. The Ukrainian Insurgent Army, known by the acronym UPA, operated during and after World War II as the armed wing of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. Ideally led by the figure of Stepan Bandera, it fought for the creation of an independent Ukrainian state and continued its resistance even after the Soviet victory.
In contemporary Ukrainian national narrative, the UPA is often celebrated primarily for the fight against Soviet domination. In Poland, however, the organization’s name inevitably recalls the massacres carried out in the eastern regions of the then Polish state, particularly in Volhynia, where thousands of civilians were killed in a campaign of ethnic violence that still represents one of the most traumatic pages of national history.
THE REACTION OF WARSAW
Zelensky’s choice was perceived in Warsaw as a provocation. Fueling the controversy was not only the recognition of the UPA but also the reference to the “restoration of historical traditions,” interpreted by many Polish observers as a political legitimization of that past.
The new president Karol Nawrocki reacted immediately by threatening to withdraw from Zelensky the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest honor, awarded to him in 2023 for his contribution to strengthening friendship between the two countries. The gesture would have strong symbolic value, considering that the order represents one of the oldest and most prestigious decorations in the Polish state tradition.
Positions from the far right have been even harsher. Parliament Vice President Krzysztof Bosak has evoked possible practical consequences on support for Kiev, suggesting the revision of some essential logistical facilitations for the Ukrainian army. Among the proposals put forward are restrictions on the use of Rzeszow airport, a key hub for transferring Western aid to Ukraine, and the suspension of funding for Starlink terminals used by the Ukrainian armed forces.
MORE POLARIZED POLISH POLITICS
The controversy also reflects ongoing changes in Polish domestic politics. For years, the Law and Justice party (PiS) has been the main reference point of the national-conservative camp, maintaining a substantially favorable line towards military and political support for Ukraine.
In recent years, however, the rise of more radical formations has pushed public debate towards harder positions. Nawrocki, although coming from the PiS area, seems intent on building his own political leadership and the firmness shown towards Kiev is read by many analysts as an attempt to capture an electorate increasingly critical of the presence of millions of Ukrainian refugees in the country.
The most significant aspect is that the criticisms do not come only from the nationalist opposition. Even the government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, representing the liberal and pro-European area, has expressed strong irritation. Defense Minister Wladislaw Kosiniak-Kamysz called the decision “unacceptable” and essentially hostile, arguing that Ukraine already has numerous contemporary heroes to commemorate without having to resort to such divisive historical figures.
THE RISK OF A STRATEGIC RIFT
In an attempt to contain the crisis, the head of Ukrainian military intelligence Kirilo Budanov traveled to Warsaw to reassure Polish authorities. The message conveyed was that Kiev did not intend to offend Polish sensitivities. However, the Ukrainian government has shown no willingness to withdraw the honorary title, a sign that Zelensky must also face the expectations of his country’s nationalist public opinion.
The tensions have already produced concrete effects. To attend the recent summit in London with Starmer, Merz, and Macron, Zelensky departed from the Moldovan capital Chisinau instead of using, as in the past, the Rzeszow logistics platform.
Donald Tusk has publicly invited the presidents of the two countries to a direct confrontation, warning that emotions risk compromising solidarity built over years of war and that a rupture would exclusively benefit Moscow.
The final decision on the possible revocation of the Order of the White Eagle now rests with President Nawrocki. Whatever the outcome, the episode demonstrates how unresolved historical issues can still influence the geopolitical balances of Eastern Europe.
