Anti-Ukrainian sentiment rising in Poland – media

Support for refugees has dropped significantly, with many now reportedly being told to “go back to Ukraine”

Public sentiment in Poland toward Ukrainian refugees has deteriorated over the past three years, with a growing number of Poles now calling for them to return to Ukraine, according to media reports.

Warsaw, which has been one of Ukraine’s main backers since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022, initially willingly accepted more than a million refugees from the neighboring state. However, the attitude towards Ukrainians in the country has since shifted.

Social tensions have been mounting as some citizens reportedly perceive Ukrainian immigrants as freeloaders and potential criminals. Government data shows that at least 2.5 million Ukrainians reside in Poland, making up nearly 7% of the country’s population.

Oksana Pestrykova, a refugee support coordinator in Warsaw, told The Times on Wednesday that the atmosphere had been much more welcoming three years ago, and that Ukrainians now tend to avoid speaking their own language in public or on public transport.

“People are saying that children at school and people in line for an appointment with a doctor are telling them to go home to Ukraine,” she said.

Another Ukrainian resident told the BBC that anti-Ukrainian sentiment has surged in recent months, with reports of abuse on public transport, school bullying, and xenophobic content online.

“At work, many people have been saying Ukrainians come here and behave badly. And my Ukrainian friends say they want to go home because Polish people don’t accept us. It’s frightening to live here now,” one refugee told the outlet.

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Tensions have been heightened by a divisive presidential election campaign in Poland, with the first round of voting set for Sunday.

Far-right politician Slawomir Mentzen, polling in third place, has taken a strongly anti-Ukrainian stance and backs striking a peace deal with Russia.

Conservative candidate Karol Nawrocki, currently in second, opposes Ukraine’s membership in the EU and NATO as well as financial aid for refugees, although he supports continued military assistance for Kiev.

Leading the race is Rafal Trzaskowski, aligned with Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s coalition and seen as the most pro-Ukrainian contender, although he too has pledged to cut social benefits for Ukrainian nationals.

Support for Ukrainian refugees in Poland has declined sharply, a March 2025 poll by the CBOS Center showed, with only 50% of Poles in favor of accepting them – well below the 81% recorded two years earlier.

Roughly one million Ukrainians are officially registered as having arrived since 2022, and Poland has allocated 4.2% of its GDP to their support, according to the BBC.