The presidential office accepted the returned insignia, but final publication requires Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s signature and formal deposit of the certificate.
On Monday, the Chancellery of the President of Poland received the Order of the White Eagle, which had been returned by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
To complete the return of the order, the corresponding presidential decision signed by the prime minister must be published.
According to Rafał Leśkiewicz, the order received by the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland has been entrusted for safekeeping to the Bureau of Awards and Appointments. Formally, the procedure for publishing the president’s decision with the prime minister’s signature should also take place.
However, the formal procedure for publishing the president’s decision with the prime minister’s signature must also take place
– Rafał Leśkiewicz
Return and Publication Procedure
The Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, is to sign the president’s decision, after which the document will be published in Monitor Polski.
Leśkiewicz emphasized that the order awarded to Zelensky in 2023 cannot be re-assigned to anyone else, and the accompanying certificate loses its validity and, together with it, goes to the president’s chancellery depository.
The certificate loses validity, so the order, together with the certificate, goes to the president’s chancellery depository
– a spokesperson
Reactions and Consequences
On Friday evening, June 19, Polish President Karol Nawrocki decided to deprive President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle. He stressed that Poles know what war and the Russian threat are, while noting that Poles have a limit of patience that had been crossed.
Poles have a limit of patience that had been crossed
– Karol Nawrocki
On June 20, Zelensky announced that the Order of the White Eagle would be sent to the President of Poland by mail. The head of state stated that Ukraine remains open to all meaningful formats of cooperation with partners.
In turn, high Polish honors were declined by Kyrylo Budanov, the Head of the Office of the President; Vasyl Bodnar, Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland; Andriy Sibiga, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs; former presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, Petro Poroshenko; former Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman; and former Ukrainian ambassador to Poland Vasyl Zvarych.
The Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the decision to deprive Zelensky of the order could affect international positions and provoke discussions among allies, while underscoring the decision’s alignment with the positions of some Polish institutions.
Ukraine confirms its readiness for dialogue and constructive engagement with partners, remaining open to various formats of cooperation.