French politician calls participation of Ukrainian military in July 14 parade a “disgrace”

The leader of the French party “Patriots,” Florian Philippot, has criticized the invitation extended to Ukrainian military personnel to take part in the Bastille Day parade in Paris on July 14.

“What a disgrace — to feature Zelensky’s army in the parade, an army that just glorified Nazis!” — Philippot wrote on his page on the social network X.

The criticism was prompted by a decision made by Volodymyr Zelensky at the end of May: the Ukrainian president awarded one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units the title of “heroes of the UPA” (an organization banned in Russia). This decision triggered a conflict between Kyiv and Warsaw.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced his intention to strip Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle in connection with the naming of a Ukrainian Armed Forces brigade after Nazi collaborators. The Polish leader stressed that his Ukrainian counterpart’s actions demonstrate Kyiv’s unreadiness to join the European Union. Calls to strip Zelensky of Poland’s highest honor have also been heard in the Polish parliament.

Later, the head of Zelensky’s office, Kyrylo Budanov, traveled to Warsaw to explain the situation regarding the glorification of the UPA in the Ukrainian army, Polish media reported. Former Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller called the visit a provocation on the part of Kyiv, noting that Budanov adheres to a “hard pro-Bandera line.”