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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has returned Poland’s highest state honor, the ‘Order of the White Eagle.’ This move follows a decision by Polish President Karol Nawrocki to revoke the honor. A dispute between the two nations regarding World War II history has resurfaced.

Nawrocki decided to revoke the honor after a unit of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces was named after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Poland accuses the UPA of killing thousands of Polish citizens during World War II.

In a social media post, Zelenskyy stated that the honor was intended for the Ukrainian people and the military. He shared photos and the postal receipt while announcing that he was returning the award to the Polish President’s office.

Former Polish President Andrzej Duda had conferred this honor upon Zelenskyy in 2023 in recognition of his contributions to Ukraine’s security and the defense of democratic values ​​and human rights.