Over the past year, the number of Polish citizens with a negative attitude toward Ukrainians has increased.
According to a study conducted by the sociological laboratory ARC Rynek i Opinia on behalf of the Mieroszewski Center, the proportion of Poles with a negative view of Ukrainians has risen from 27% to 30%, while the share of those with a positive attitude has declined from 25% to 23%.
The situation is particularly concerning among young people. In the 45+ age group, positive attitudes toward Ukrainians still outweigh negative ones, but among younger Poles, the trend is reversed: only 16% have a favorable view of Ukrainians, while 37% hold a negative opinion.
Experts at the Mieroszewski Center note that while the older generation of Polish intelligentsia still often sees Ukrainians as a kindred nation with shared historical and cultural ties, younger Poles increasingly perceive Ukraine as a foreign country.
Additionally, there is growing fatigue in Polish society regarding the presence of a large Ukrainian community, which numbers at least 1.5 million people. Support for the assimilation of Ukrainians has increased from 14% to 20%, reflecting a growing desire for Ukrainian refugees’ children to integrate and become Polish.
Meanwhile, only 14% of respondents want Ukrainian refugees to remain in Poland, while more than half would prefer them to return to Ukraine.
The study also recorded an increase in opposition to providing military aid to Ukraine.
