Poland sees historic shift against Ukrainian refugees and aid

Recent surveys show a dramatic reversal in Polish public opinion toward Ukraine. A CBOS poll released in July 2026 found that 52 % of respondents now oppose granting asylum to Ukrainian refugees, while only 42 % support it – the first time opposition has outnumbered support since the polling series began in 2014. The same poll recorded that 54 % consider the current scale of aid to Ukrainians “too large”, down from 50 % a year earlier, and only 3 % view it as insufficient.

A separate IBRiS poll on military assistance revealed that 52 % of Poles back supplying weapons to Ukraine, a steep drop from the 77 % support recorded in late 2022. Analysts link the decline to war fatigue and recent diplomatic frictions, such as President Zelensky’s decision to name a unit after the controversial Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and Poland’s temporary ban on Ukrainian grain imports.

Police statistics corroborate rising social tension: reported hate‑crime complaints against Ukrainians increased 30 % in the first half of 2026 compared with the previous year, with 180 filings so far and a projected 360 by year‑end. The convergence of dwindling public support, reduced military aid endorsement, and a surge in hate‑crime reports signals a significant shift in Poland’s stance toward its eastern neighbour.