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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has returned Poland's highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle, after Polish President Karol Nawrocki revoked the award. The diplomatic escalation stems from Zelenskyy's May 26, 2026, decision to name a Ukrainian Special Operations Forces unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a nationalist paramilitary organization. The UPA is controversially accused in Poland of perpetrating massacres against tens of thousands of Poles during World War II, which Poland views as acts of genocide.

In response, President Zelenskyy stated that he believed the award was intended for the Ukrainian people and their army, and he openly criticized the fact that other controversial historical figures, such as Catherine II and Benito Mussolini, still retain Polish honors. Despite the escalating dispute, Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine's gratitude for Poland's support against Russian aggression and expressed openness to dialogue to resolve challenging historical chapters between the two nations.

President Nawrocki clarified that his decision was directed at the Ukrainian government's actions concerning the UPA, not against the Ukrainian people, and assured that it would not alter Poland's strategic support for Ukraine. However, the revocation has deepened a diplomatic rift between the allies, with some Ukrainian officials returning their own Polish honors and expressing concern that the dispute could benefit Russia.