Poland Maintains Long‑Term Legal, Financial Protections for 1.7 Million Ukrainian Refugees

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Poland has extended legal and financial safeguards to 1.7 million Ukrainian refugees who were compelled to flee their homeland, according to the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This extensive assistance represents a significant display of public solidarity following the onset of Russian aggression.

Approximately 77% of Poles have directly contributed to aiding Ukrainian refugees through various means, such as opening their homes to host refugees. The cumulative expenditure of funds by Polish society to support Ukrainians has surpassed 10 billion zlotys. However, recent public opinion surveys have revealed growing reservations among Poles about the country's future role in supporting Ukraine.

An Opinia24 poll conducted in late July revealed that 52% of respondents opposed Poland supporting Ukraine's efforts to join the European Union, compared to 33% who favored such support. The opposition was particularly strong concerning the potential deployment of Polish troops to Ukraine following the war, with 65% of respondents rejecting the idea, while only 18% supported it.

When asked if their attitudes towards Ukrainians had changed since the invasion, 54% of respondents stated their views remained unchanged, while 36% reported their attitudes had worsened, and only 3% believed they had improved. Opinia24 also found that 44% of respondents favored suspending Polish military assistance in light of Ukraine's commemoration of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, while 41% advocated for continued support.

Moreover, 52.2% of respondents backed Poland's decision to revoke President Volodymyr Zelensky's Order of the White Eagle, while 27% opposed the move. Poland has acted as a significant transit point for international military and humanitarian aid, providing substantial weapons supplies to Ukraine since February 2022. Nevertheless, historical disputes surrounding the UPA and the wartime massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia continue to create friction between Warsaw and Kyiv.