A decision by Polish President Karol Nawrocki to revoke Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s highest Polish state honor has triggered sharp criticism from Ukrainian officials, who argue the move risks benefiting Russia and undermining relations between two key allies.

Nawrocki announced Friday that Zelenskyy would be stripped of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest civilian distinction. The award had been presented in 2023 by former Polish President Andrzej Duda in recognition of Zelenskyy’s contributions to regional security, resilience and the defense of human rights.

The decision follows a decree issued by Zelenskyy on May 26 naming a unit of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a nationalist paramilitary organization that operated during the 1940s and 1950s.

The UPA remains a deeply sensitive issue in Poland, where it is widely associated with massacres of Polish civilians during World War II.

In a video address posted on social media, Nawrocki said that for many Poles, the UPA is remembered primarily for atrocities committed against citizens of the Polish Republic during the war.

Despite the decision, the Polish president emphasized that Warsaw’s support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia would remain unchanged.

The move was met with strong opposition from Ukrainian officials.

Kyrylo Budanov described the decision as an unfriendly gesture toward Ukraine and warned that it could be exploited by Moscow.

“It is a gift to the Moscow aggressor,” Budanov said in a statement, arguing that Russia would seek to use the dispute to drive a wedge between the two nations.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also condemned the move, calling it a strategic mistake that serves Russian interests.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, said the decision was particularly painful at a time when Ukrainians continue to endure Russian missile and drone attacks.

In a further sign of the diplomatic fallout, Budanov, Sybiha and Bodnar each announced plans to return honors previously awarded to them by the Polish state.

The dispute highlights ongoing historical tensions between Poland and Ukraine, even as the two countries continue to cooperate closely in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.