Poland public sentiment and regional relations

Public sentiment in Poland and its relations with Ukraine have shown signs of decline according to recent sociological data.

In Poland, polling indicates growing dissatisfaction with the country’s direction and economic state. CBOS data shows 54% of respondents believe the nation is heading in a bad direction, a 7-percentage-point increase from the previous month, while OGB polling reports that 52.18% believe economic affairs are not moving positively. Dissatisfaction is attributed to rising living, energy, and heating costs. Regarding leadership, while President Karol Nawrocki maintains a 45.5% positive rating among the general population, senior citizens (aged 60+) are more critical, with 46.6% giving him a negative assessment. Additionally, 86.5% of voters believe the conflict between the President and the government negatively impacts national security.

Simultaneously, relations between Poland and Ukraine have experienced a shift in perception. A study by Operational Sociology LLC found that only 2.4% of surveyed Ukrainians view the relationship as ‘entirely friendly,’ with 56% characterizing it as ‘mixed.’ This tension follows controversial actions, such as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy naming a military unit after historical figures associated with the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).

Recent Polish polling also highlights security and diplomatic concerns. A SW Research survey found that 63.3% of Poles believe a Ukrainian defeat would decrease Poland's national security, with fears most pronounced among citizens aged 50 and older. Furthermore, an IBRiS poll indicates that 62.1% of respondents evaluate President Zelenskyy’s presidency negatively from a Polish perspective, a sentiment driven largely by opposition voters.