Poland’s president strips Ukraine’s Zelensky of top award

Zelensky had infuriated Warsaw this month by naming a military unit after an insurgent army that took part in massacres against Poles in WWII.

President Karol Nawrocki's decision looked likely to unleash a severe diplomatic crisis between the neighbours just days ahead of a conference on Ukraine's reconstruction in the Polish city of Gdansk.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki branded Ukraine's decision late last month to name the unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) "outrageous", "incomprehensible" and "deeply disappointing".

Zelenskyy was awarded the Order of the White Eagle in 2023 by Poland's then President Andrzej Duda for his services to security, resilience and the defence of human rights.