Nawrocki is doing what Orbán did, this story will end badly, - Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has linked the decision by Polish leader Karol Nawrocki to strip him of the Order of the White Eagle to internal political struggles in Poland.
He made these remarks in an interview with ‘TSN’, according to Censor.NET.
Nawrocki’s decision due to internal political struggles
"I see this purely as an electoral process. President Karol Nawrocki is vying with Prime Minister Tusk for his party's prime ministerial seat. We have nothing to do with this; it is their internal affair," the head of state said.
Zelenskyy noted that Nawrocki is continuing his political struggle within his own country by stoking sentiments of hatred towards Ukrainians.
"This is what Orbán did. It’s a bad story. I believe it will end badly," said the president, adding that "one cannot reap political dividends from hatred, as this will ultimately lead to poor relations between nations".
A book presented at their first meeting
Zelenskyy also recounted that during his first meeting with Nawrocki in Poland, the latter had presented him with a book about the Volhynia tragedy.
"I went to see him, and his gift to me as we shook hands was a book about the Volhynia tragedy. I don’t talk about it. I haven’t told people. I live with it calmly. Now we’re talking about it openly because he’s taking certain steps that I consider to be wrong," said the Ukrainian leader.
He added that Nawrocki’s country is "a democracy, not a monarchy", so it is necessary to build relations with Ukraine, which is currently defending Europe, including Poland.
Zelenskyy also spoke about inviting Nawrocki to visit Ukraine.
"He’s been president for a year — and hasn’t been to Ukraine. He talks about supporting Ukraine, but he hasn’t been here. The Polish Prime Minister has visited on numerous occasions; Poland supports us, and the people support us," he said.
What led up to this?
Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the country’s highest honour, the Order of the White Eagle, amid a scandal over the naming of an elite unit of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces after the Heroes of the UPA.
In response, a number of Ukrainian officials issued statements:
- Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha declined the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order ‘For Merit to Poland’ in response to Polish President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest honour, the Order of the White Eagle;
- The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, declined the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland;
- Vasyl Bodnar, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Poland, also announced that he was returning his Polish award following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s stripping of the Order of the White Eagle.
- On 20 June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent the Order of the White Eagle to Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
- The second President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, the third President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko, and the fifth President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, also announced that they were declining the Polish Order of the White Eagle.
