Poles majorly back cooperation with Ukraine despite historic WWII dispute

A poll commissioned by the Polish state research agency CBOS shows that 77% of respondents support continued cooperation between Poland and Ukraine even after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a group associated in Poland with the World War II Volhynia massacres of roughly 100,000 Polish civilians.

The survey, conducted this month, also found that 59% of Poles back President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to strip Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest honour, while 28% oppose it. A large majority (84%) say the Polish state should react when another country glorifies historical figures responsible for crimes against Poles. Opinions are split on whether Ukrainians have the right to honour such figures, with 44% agreeing and 42% disagreeing.

Overall, the poll indicates strong public support for Polish‑Ukrainian cooperation against Russia, provided that historical issues are eventually resolved.