Duda awards Zelensky with Poland’s top decoration

During the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Poland on Wednesday, he received the Order of White Eagle – Poland’s oldest and most valuable state decoration – from the hands of his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda.

The decoration was bestowed upon Zelensky “in recognition of his outstanding merits in deepening friendly and comprehensive relations between Poland and Ukraine, for developing cooperation for the sake of democracy, peace and security in Europe and his steadfastness in defending inalienable human rights,” according to the website of the Polish president.

“There is no doubt that you, Mr. President, you, Volodymyr, are an absolutely exceptional man,” Duda said during the ceremony. “Watching your service for your homeland, it is difficult to hide tears of emotion,” he added.

Duda emphasized that Zelensky’s attitude, combined with the heroism of Ukrainian soldiers, saved Ukraine. “Today you are a model leader of the state and nation, but also a man who steadfastly upholds human rights, civil rights, the right to sovereignty, independence and self-determination of the nation,” said the president of Poland.

Zelensky thanked Andrzej Duda and the entire Polish people for helping Ukraine from the very first day of the full-scale Russian invasion, the website of the Ukrainian president reports.

Zelensky pointed out that the relations between Ukraine and Poland today demonstrate historical strength.

“It is on such a foundation that solid friendship and the future of all generations of our two brotherly peoples is being built,” he said.

The President of Ukraine separately thanked the Polish people for their warm attitude towards millions of Ukrainians who have found refuge in Poland, where they feel at home rather than as guests.

“There were no borders between us, and I consider this the beginning of that there will be no borders between us whatsoever in the future: neither political and economic nor – what is very important – historical,” Zelensky said.

“This award is also addressed to the people of Ukraine, to our military who defend our state, our independence and are definitely fighting for victory for Ukraine, for Poland, for all of Europe and the world,” the president of Ukraine stressed.