Former Presidents of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko also decided to renounce the Polish Orders of the White Eagle.
Points of attention
- Former Presidents Kuchma and Yushchenko refused the Polish Orders of the White Eagle in response to Poland's decision to revoke the honor from the current Ukrainian President.
- Kuchma emphasized the importance of protecting Ukraine's past from external interference, while Yushchenko saw the refusal as a sign of respect for the sacrifices made by the Ukrainian people.
Kuchma and Yushchenko return the Orders of the White Eagle to Poland
Former President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma decided to refuse the Polish Order of the White Eagle, which he was awarded in 1997.
A corresponding statement was published by the press secretary of his foundation, Darka Olifer, on Facebook.
In connection with the decision of Polish President Karol Nawrocki to deprive Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Polish Order of the White Eagle, I have decided to renounce this order, which I had the honor of being awarded in 1997.
According to Kuchma, throughout his presidency, he considered building friendly relations with Poland one of his main priorities, and together with his Polish colleague Aleksander Kwasniewski, he made every effort to achieve this.
Ukraine did not accept the battle from Russia, which justified its invasion with historical claims, so that today other countries would dictate our history to us and determine who we should respect. I believe that friendship and allied relations between Ukraine and Poland will be preserved. But today I feel sadness and anxiety. It is one thing when an enemy attacks. It is quite another when enmity separates friends. And even worse, when these friends are also threatened by a common danger.
Kuchma emphasized that history must be remembered, but the past cannot be more important than the future, and hopes for the wisdom of Ukrainian and Polish politicians.
Former President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko also refused the Order of the White Eagle.
This award was not only given to a specific person. First of all, it became a sign of respect for the Ukrainian people, who pay an extremely high price for their freedom, independence, and the right to live in their own state. That is why any attempts to reconsider this decision today go far beyond the attitude towards one politician. They inevitably affect millions of Ukrainians who defend their country every day at the front, work for victory in the rear, and lose their most precious ones in this war.
