Polish President Karol Nawrocki, during a joint press conference with Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasized that there is a growing sentiment in Polish society that the support provided to Ukraine since the onset of the full-scale war has not been adequately recognized. According to him, this issue became one of the key topics during the conversation with the Ukrainian president.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Poland’s Position: Feelings of Underappreciation and the Search for Solutions
Nawrocki highlighted that a significant portion of Poles share this impression. Recent sociological studies also reflect these sentiments, indicating a decline in positive attitudes towards Ukrainian migrants and aid to Ukraine in general. The Polish president noted that this issue was raised in an open conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky.
“We are now aware that this impression is also held by Poles.. We talked about this today, that Poles have the impression (which is reflected in public opinion research) that the multidimensional aid from Poland after the start of the full-scale war has not received appropriate recognition. This was also a topic of our conversation with the president. We feel this,” he said at the joint press conference with the Ukrainian president.
The Polish president pointed out that the Ukrainian authorities have tools that can help change this trend and overcome negative sentiments.
Zelensky’s Response and Current Sentiments in Both Countries
In response, Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the gratitude of Ukrainians towards the Polish people and underscored the strength of the alliance between Ukraine and Poland. He highlighted the importance of maintaining the partnership and warned against the influence of external factors that could lead to discord between the countries. Zelensky also noted that Russia seeks to undermine this alliance, so both sides must remain vigilant and respect each other to prevent this.
During the meeting, the leaders discussed security issues and common challenges, particularly the threats posed by the Russian Federation to Europe, Poland, and Ukraine.
According to a recent EUI-YouGov study, over the three years of the full-scale war, the willingness of Poles to provide refuge to Ukrainians has decreased by 30%. In the past six months, the attitude of Polish citizens towards migrants from Ukraine has worsened: 50% of Poles consider their country’s assistance to Ukrainians excessive, and 8% of Ukrainians reported instances of discrimination based on nationality, particularly due to the language barrier in Poland.
This meeting marked the first official encounter for the presidents of Ukraine and Poland in the new composition, highlighting the importance of dialogue and the search for compromise in relations between the two countries.