Polish Speaker Calls Ukraine’s UPA Decision ‘Stupidity’, Warns of Russian Benefit
The Speaker of the Polish Sejm, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, described Ukraine’s decision to name a military unit after UPA heroes as “stupidity” but emphasized that both countries must cooperate because only Russia would gain from escalation. He also refrained from directly criticizing Polish President Nawrocki’s decision to strip President Zelenskyy of his Polish award.
Włodzimierz Czarzasty, the Speaker of the Polish Sejm, has weighed in on the recent diplomatic tensions between Poland and Ukraine. In an interview with Polsat News, he called Ukraine’s decision to name a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) “scandalous” and “stupid,” but urged a focus on cooperation. He noted that escalating the dispute would only benefit Russia, especially given the current global climate of radicalism and U.S. President Donald Trump’s behavior as a “leader of chaos.”
Regarding Polish President Karol Nawrocki’s decision on June 19 to strip Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Czarzasty declined to take sides, saying he does not want to divide Poles. He emphasized that “Poland will be independent and strong when Ukraine is independent and strong,” and warned that “Poland without Ukraine is not safe, but Ukraine without Poland cannot join the EU.” He called for reasonable steps and suggested that time is needed for mutual forgiveness.
The controversy originated when Nawrocki revoked Zelenskyy’s award due to the naming of a Ukrainian military unit after the UPA. In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar, and Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov announced they would return their Polish honors. Zelenskyy later stated he had mailed the award back to Nawrocki. All former Ukrainian presidents who had received the Order of the White Eagle have also renounced it.
