Leonid Kuchma refused the Polish Order of the White Eagle
As previously reported by the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper", the President of Poland Karol Nawrocki deprived Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle.
On June 20, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he sent this order by mail to Karol Nawrocki.
Later it became known that the second President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma also refused his Order of the White Eagle. This was reported by the press secretary of Leonid Kuchma, Daria Olifer.
She also published a statement from the President of Ukraine (1994 - 2005) Leonid Kuchma:
"In connection with the decision of the President of Poland Karol Nawrocki to deprive the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky of the Polish Order of the White Eagle, I have decided to refuse this order, which I was honored to receive in 1997.
Throughout my presidency, I considered building friendly relations with Poland one of my main priorities. Together with my colleague Aleksander Kwaśniewski, we made every effort to achieve this. We paid special attention to resolving historical issues in relations between our peoples, which resulted in our joint 2003 statement on reconciliation. Forgiving and asking for forgiveness – this principle was developed by President Kwaśniewski and me under the spiritual mediation of the great Pole, Pope John Paul II.
For decades, this principle worked. True friendship between Ukraine and Poland became a reality. Its confirmation is the invaluable assistance Poland has provided to Ukraine from the first hours of the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation. And I am confident that the current unfriendly step by President Nawrocki cannot erase all this.
But today I have no choice but to refuse this high Polish order. Ukraine did not accept the fight from Russia, which justified its invasion with historical claims, for other countries today to dictate our history and decide whom we should honor.
I believe that the 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. Quite another when enmity divides friends. And even more terrible if these friends are threatened by a common danger.
We must remember history. However, the past cannot be more important than the future. The burning, sharp, but phantom pain of an ancient tragedy should not blind us so much that we do not see the real, present threat of an imperial power in the East, which has previously deprived both our peoples of statehood and does not hide its intentions to try to do so again.
Ukraine and Poland need each other as never before. Politicians of both countries must realize this. I hope for their wisdom."
Photo: facebook.com/darka.olifer
Additionally, the head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov refused the Golden Officer's Cross of the Order "For Merit to Poland."
Moreover, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland Vasyl Bodnar announced the decision to return the Polish state award — the Knight's Cross of the Order "For Merit to the Republic of Poland".
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