Poland's Tusk Calls Polish-Ukrainian Political Conflict a Mistake After Nawrocki Strips Zelensky of Top Honor

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has declared that the ongoing conflict between Polish and Ukrainian politicians is a mistake, as tensions between the two neighboring countries escalated sharply. The dispute came to a head when Poland's newly elected President Karol Nawrocki formally stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest state honor. The move marked a significant diplomatic rupture between two countries that have otherwise been close allies since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Poland serving as one of Ukraine's most important supporters in Europe. The public clash between Nawrocki, a conservative nationalist who won Poland's presidential election in 2025, and Zelensky reflects a broader tension that has periodically strained Polish-Ukrainian relations, including disputes over historical memory, grain imports, and the treatment of Ukrainian migrants in Poland. Tusk, whose centrist coalition government is frequently at odds with Nawrocki on domestic and foreign policy matters, distanced himself from the presidential decision, signaling that Poland's government remains committed to supporting Ukraine despite the diplomatic friction.