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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy linked Polish leader Karol Nawrocki’s decision to strip him of the Order of the White Eagle to domestic political competition in Poland.
“I see this solely as an electoral process. President Karol Nawrocki is competing with Prime Minister Donald Tusk for political leadership within his camp. We have nothing to do with it; this is their internal issue,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with TSN, UATV English informs.
According to the Ukrainian president, Nawrocki is continuing his domestic political struggle by fueling anti-Ukrainian sentiment.
“This is what Viktor Orbán did. It is a bad story. I believe it will end badly,” Zelenskyy said, adding that “political dividends cannot be built on hatred because, in the long run, it leads to poor relations between nations.”
Zelenskyy also revealed that during his first meeting with Nawrocki in Poland, the Polish politician presented him with a book about the Volhynia tragedy.
“I came to see him, and when we shook hands, his gift to me was a book about the Volhynia tragedy. I never talked about it publicly. I never told people. I lived with it calmly. Now we are speaking about it openly because he is taking steps that I consider wrong,” the Ukrainian leader said.
He added that Poland is “not a monarchy but a democracy” and that relations should be built with Ukraine, which is currently defending Europe, including Poland.
Zelenskyy also noted that he had invited Nawrocki to visit Ukraine.
“He has been president for a year and has never been to Ukraine. He talks about supporting Ukraine, but he has never been here. The Prime Minister of Poland has visited many times. Poland supports us, and the Polish people support us,” he said.
As previously reported, President Karol Nawrocki revoked the Order of the White Eagle previously awarded to President Zelenskyy amid controversy surrounding the naming of an elite Ukrainian Special Operations Forces unit after the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
In response:
- Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha returned his Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
- Kyrylo Budanov declined the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
- Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar also announced the return of his Polish state award.
On June 20, President Zelenskyy sent the Order of the White Eagle back to President Nawrocki.
Former Ukrainian Presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko also announced that they would return their Polish awards.
Read also: Nawrocki Undermines Recent Achievements, Draws Applause from Moscow, — Sybiha
