Ukrainian refugees face growing hostility in Poland

Key Points:

• Poland initially welcomed nearly one million Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion, with 94% of Poles supporting sanctuary in 2022; however, public opinion has shifted, and now 52% oppose continued refuge for Ukrainians.
• Rising tensions between Poles and Ukrainians are fueled by historical grievances, particularly memories of the World War II Volhynia massacre, where Ukrainian ultranationalists killed tens of thousands of Poles, deepening mistrust.
• Extremist Polish politicians, such as Grzegorz Braun, have inflamed anti-Ukrainian sentiment through inflammatory rhetoric and actions, contributing to hate crimes and a recent exodus of over 100,000 Ukrainians from Poland.
• Russia is suspected of exploiting historical disputes and fomenting discord between Poland and Ukraine as part of ongoing hybrid warfare and disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilizing bilateral relations.
• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's decision to honor a controversial WWII Ukrainian insurgent army linked to atrocities against Poles has further strained relations, with Polish leaders condemning the move and refusing to reconcile historical narratives.