Zelenski was missing, Europe arrived
Even before the first abroad guests reached Gdańsk, Polish-Ukrainian relations were at the centre of an acute diplomatic dispute. Emotions sparked the decision of president Karol Nawrocki to take Volodymyr Zelensk Order of the White Eagle. The reason was to give the Ukrainian president 1 of the elite military units the name of the UPA Heroes – a formation liable for crimes against the Polish population during the Second planet War. Zelenski sent the award back to Warsaw. In his footsteps followed respective leading Ukrainian politicians and almost all erstwhile Ukrainian presidents, returning previously received Polish awards. The answer from Warsaw came quickly. His Ukrainian distinctions were given by Deputy Marshal of the legislature Michał Kamiński, elected from the list of the Polish People's Party. akin steps were besides announced by PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński and erstwhile ministers Mariusz Błaszczak and Zbigniew Rau. As a result, even before the beginning of the conference in Gdańsk the atmosphere between Warsaw and Kiev was the worst in many months.
