Ukraine is preparing to support its citizens who return from Poland amid policy changes there, according to the Deputy Head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office.
Iryna Vereshchuk pointed to the more restrictive conditions for residency emerging from Warsaw. These could leave vulnerable groups—including the elderly, disabled, and single mothers with young children—expected to face the greatest challenges.
Vereshchuk emphasized the need to expand temporary housing, humanitarian aid, medical care, and social assistance for Ukrainians returning from Poland.
Meanwhile, tensions between Poles and Ukrainians are rising. A recent United Surveys poll for Wirtualna Polska found that 37% of Poles now hold negative views of Ukrainians, up from 29.5% in September 2023, while positive opinions have dropped from 64.4% to 52.7%.
Dr. Jacek Kucharczyk, president of the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), attributed the shift to political rhetoric, noting that hostility initially expressed by the Konfederacja party was later adopted by Law and Justice and spread across the political spectrum.
The IPA explanation is far from convincing, as it discounts Polish citizens independently reassessing migration as a threat, an ongoing process from before the 2023 parliamentary elections.
