Three years ago, when Russia attacked Ukraine, Poland welcomed numerous refugees. Currently, some Polish political figures aim to reduce the amount of financial support provided to Ukrainian parents for their children.
Lukasz Jakubowski frequently goes to schools where Polish students not only hurl insults but also resort to physical attacks against their Ukrainian peers. Sadly, he notes that these occurrences are becoming more frequent.
Jakubowski serves as an anti-discrimination trainer for the Polish organization Never Again (Nigdy wiecej) in Warsaw, the capital city of Poland.
At a school I visited, there are Ukrainian children studying Polish, and as expected, they still struggle with the language," Jakubowski shares. "Other kids sometimes avoid playing with them; instead, they push these children aside and verbally abuse them, erecting a sort of mental barricade. The peers often say things like they should return to Ukraine.
Since 2009, the organization has been releasing documents that outline racially motivated assaults like those mentioned. These publications are referred to as their "brown books" by the group.
Incidents of aggression and hateful rhetoric on the rise
Nearly 1 million individuals have escaped to Poland from Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of that nation in February 2022.
Jakubowski states that the number of assaults against this group of individuals has surged significantly over the last three years. There is also an escalating trend of internet hate speech directed at Ukrainians.
Individuals criticize the Polish administration for displaying excessive leniency toward its war-ravaged southeast counterpart. Some voices have gone so far as to advocate resisting what they claim is a "Ukrainian influx" impacting regional governance bodies within Poland.
A journalist and author prominent in conservative circles has asserted that Ukraine is a morally corrupt nation with which Poland ought not engage commercially.
In March 2024, a swastika was painted on the facade of the Ukrainian House foundation’s headquarters in Warsaw. Foundation leader Miroslawa Keryk stated that this act of defacement is associated with the increasing anti-Ukrainian sentiments in Poland, which have escalated due to the grain conflict between the two countries.
Demonstrations against Ukrainian grain shipments and transportation firms
In 2023 and 2024, this occurred on both occasions. massive protests across Poland Opposition to the liberalization of the European Union’s market for Ukrainian cereals emerged. Various derogatory and hostile statements were made regarding Ukrainians throughout these protests.
The circumstances were comparable in 2023. truck drivers' protests Protests against allowing Ukrainian transportation firms access to the European Union market took place. These demonstrations received support from various groups. far-right Confederation party .
"Never Again" has also recorded numerous instances of Ukrainians facing physical assaults or other forms of bodily harm.
"Some individuals only need to hear an Eastern European language being spoken on the streets—whether it’s Russian or Ukrainian—to initiate an assault," explains Jakubowski, adding that numerous Poles struggle to distinguish between these two languages. This situation implies that even those who have resided in Poland for several years continue to encounter hostility," he stated.
Starting with a friendly reception to facing harsh truth
A survey carried out in November and December by the Warsaw-based think tank Mieroszewski Centre indicates a decline in support for Ukrainians among Poles.
Only 25% of respondents expressed a positive opinion about Ukrainian refugees, 30% a negative opinion and 41% a neutral opinion.
In the survey, half of the respondents believed that the assistance provided to refugees was excessive. Conversely, merely 5% thought that this support was inadequate.
In Poland, many people believe that Ukrainian refugees have overly high expectations concerning social welfare and salaries. There is also a prevalent view that these refugees act entitled, behave loudly, and are perceived as untrustworthy.
However, the Mieroszewski Centre’s surveys also reveal another aspect of the situation: Ukrainians’ perceptions of their northwest neighbors are worsening as well. In 2022, 83% of Ukrainian participants expressed a favorable view of Poles, but by November 2024, this number had dropped dramatically to just 41%.
The 'demythologization' of Ukrainians
Meanwhile, the count of individuals adopting a neutral stance is increasing, leading researchers to view this trend as "a sign of the relationship becoming more practical."
This process is termed the "de-mythification" of Ukrainians in Polish perception. Despite Poles admiring the Ukrainians' "heroic stance" against Russian advances, with most Poles backing Ukraine’s endeavors to become part of NATO and the European Union, everyday issues are progressively taking center stage.
Ukrainians in the job market are diligent and entrepreneurial, leading many Poles to worry about the competition they pose.
"Many recognize the significant role Ukrainians play in Poland’s economy. Numerous businesses worry that an abrupt departure of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians could cause severe issues," explains Ernest Wyciszkiewicz, director of the Mieroszewski Centre.
Real-life experiences can be quite distinct.
Natalia Panchenko, who co-founded both the StandWithUkraine foundation and the Euromaidan Warsaw initiative, is among the most recognizable figures within the Ukrainian diaspora in Poland. Due to her prominent role, she frequently becomes a target for hate and harassment.
"They usually come from individuals online who've never encountered me personally; these attacks often involve people venting their frustrations about Ukrainians onto me," she shares with .
Still, she notes that there is a significant difference between the survey outcomes and everyday realities: "In actual practice, most Poles we interact with at our workplaces, kindergartens, or schools do not object to our presence," she states.
She points out that most Ukrainians living in Poland tend to integrate smoothly into society, pick up the Polish language rapidly, and seldom encounter rude remarks from locals.
Ukraine becomes a topic in elections
Certain politicians are clearly attempting to leverage anti-Ukrainian sentiments to strengthen their standing ahead of the upcoming presidential election in May.
Rafal Trzaskowski, the mayor of Warsaw and the liberal candidate backed by the governing civic platform (PO) alliance, along with Karol Nawrocki, who enjoys support from the opposing national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, both advocate for providing child benefits exclusively to Ukrainian parents employed and contributing tax revenue within Poland.
The monthly child allowance in Poland amounts to approximately €200 ($217) for each child. At present, every parent in Poland receives this benefit.
Currently, there are approximately 900,000. Ukrainian refugees in Poland Most of the adults in this group are employed. However, for many of them, child benefit payments are crucial since Ukrainian refugees in Poland do not receive any additional welfare support from the government.
Natalia Panchenko views the ongoing debate on limiting eligibility for child benefit payments as discriminatory since it would impact only Ukrainians and exclude all other migrant groups.
Despite this, the regulation might swiftly be implemented as it is among the few provisions that nearly all Polish political factions now concur upon.
The article was initially published in German .
Author: Monika Sieradzka (based in Warsaw)
