Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has taken in millions of Ukrainian refugees. According to the AP, however, the current mood in Poland shows a decreasing willingness to help refugees, which, according to a survey by the Center for Public Opinion Research, fell from 94% in 2022 to 57% at the end of 2024.
A Ukrainian mother told the BBC that her daughter was being bullied at school. The girl was asked to “return to Ukraine“.
When the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the solidarity of Poles was enormous. People asked every day how they could help, recalls Natalia Panchenko, an activist and head of the Stand with Ukraine foundation in Warsaw. Many of them organized aid shipments or took in refugees.
Three years later, Natalia believes that the majority of Poles still support Ukraine, but antipathy is also growing. In recent months, your organization has noticed a surge in anti-Ukrainian hostility online, which is now also tangible in reality.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has taken in millions of Ukrainian refugees. According to the AP, however, current sentiment in Poland shows a declining willingness to help refugees, which, according to a survey by the Center for Public Opinion Research, has fallen from 94 percent in 2022 to 57 percent by the end of 2024.
Poland is facing important elections, and the refugee issue is a hot topic. Some politicians are using the situation to mobilize voters and express critical opinions about the acceptance of Ukrainian refugees. Presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki is taking advantage of the changing public sentiment for his election campaign. He emphasizes that "Polish citizens must have priority" and plans to pass a law to give Poles priority in medical services and educational institutions if he wins the election.