Nawrocki may strip Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle within days

Polish President Karol Nawrocki is preparing to make a decision on the fate of the Order of the White Eagle awarded to Volodymyr Zelensky — according to the Polish outlet Rzeczpospolita, this could happen within the coming days.

This is reported by RBC-Ukraine.

As Rzeczpospolita notes, the Presidential Center — in both official and unofficial comments — describes the prolonged pause and the non-disclosure of the chapter’s recommendations as part of a deliberately created “window of opportunity” for the Ukrainian side. The Palace also wants to demonstrate that Nawrocki does not act on emotion in international affairs — precisely the kind of behavior politicians from the ruling camp have accused him of.

Sources at the Palace indicate to the outlet that the waiting period is not unlimited. The matter is described as “days, not weeks” — though none of the sources rules out the possibility of a delay. According to Rzeczpospolita, the Palace has identified only one scenario capable of persuading the president not to strip Zelensky of the award: the renaming of the military unit bearing the name “Heroes of the UPA.”

The Polish side’s strategy was openly articulated by Minister Marcin Przydacz, head of the Bureau of International Policy.

“The ball is in Ukraine’s court. If there is no positive response, the procedure will conclude with the president’s decision,” he said at a press conference.

According to Przydacz, Poland believes there have been no real actions or gestures from Kyiv, and therefore “the procedure will ultimately conclude with the president’s decision.” Other Palace representatives are more cautious: according to them, the Ukrainian side has been given a week or two, and Nawrocki intends to personally announce all decisions — in a manner similar to the notification mechanism used for vetoes.

The Polish government holds a similar position. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, in an interview with Rzeczpospolita, said that “there is a chance to reach an agreement,” and that the president’s statement gives both sides time — Nawrocki to make a final decision, and Zelensky to determine his own. Prime Minister Donald Tusk also called for an agreement between the Ukrainian and Polish presidents.

Those in Nawrocki’s inner circle have no doubt that public opinion in Poland on this matter is on the president’s side.

According to Rzeczpospolita, Nawrocki will soon travel to the United States, where he will be a guest of Donald Trump. According to Polish broadcaster RMF, the visit will last until Tuesday; during it, the president will also meet with representatives of the Polish diaspora. The outlet suggests that the decision on the order may be announced immediately after the president’s return — barring any unforeseen developments.

The diplomatic tension between Kyiv and Warsaw flared on May 26, 2026, when Zelensky signed a decree granting the Separate Special Operations Center “North” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Special Operations Forces the honorary name “Heroes of the UPA.” In response, Nawrocki announced his intention to strip Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle — Poland’s highest state honor, which the Ukrainian president received from Andrzej Duda in April 2023. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski spoke out against such a decision, noting that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder still holds the same order.