Most Poles Support the Deportation of Unemployed Ukrainians of Draft Age, According to a Poll
Nearly seven out of ten Poles are willing to support the deportation of Ukrainian men of draft age who do not have legal employment in Poland.
A total of 67.2% of respondents supported deportation. Of these, 43.8% answered “mostly yes,” and another 23.4% answered “somewhat yes.”
At the same time, 23.4% of respondents opposed the idea, while another 9.4% were undecided.
Attitudes toward possible deportation vary significantly by age.
- Among young people aged 18–29, 43% support the idea;
- in the 50–59 age group, 80% support it;
- among people aged 60–69, 79% support it;
- in the oldest group, aged 70 and older, 57% support it.
Women are more likely to support deportation than men—73% versus 61%.
The highest level of support is observed among supporters of right-wing political forces—79%. Among PiS voters, this figure reaches 89%.
Religious respondents are also more likely to support deportation than those who do not consider themselves religious.
The issue of returning Ukrainian men of draft age to Ukraine has been discussed in Poland for several years now.
Two years ago, General Waldemar Skrzypczak proposed that the Polish government deport men of draft age so they could help Ukraine in the war against Russia.
In 2026, the issue became relevant again amid discussions in the European Union regarding the future of temporary protection for Ukrainians.
At the same time, Polish public opinion toward Ukrainians is shifting due to their role in the country’s economy.
According to the Polish Ministry of the Interior, the proportion of Ukrainians officially employed in the country has risen to 95%.
Ukrainians remain the largest group of foreign workers in Poland.
Thus, the survey results reveal a contradictory situation: despite strong support for the deportation of unemployed men of draft age, Ukrainian citizens remain an important part of the Polish labor market.
This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the polling firm IBRiS on August 7–8, 2026, among 1,073 respondents, commissioned by the newspaper Rzeczpospolita.
The Polish Ministry of the Interior dismissed as populist the statements by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party regarding the possible deportation of Ukrainian men of draft age.
The opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party proposed deporting Ukrainian men of draft age who are not working legally in Poland.
The Consulate General of Ukraine in Wrocław is monitoring reports of an attack on three Ukrainian citizens in the town of Kozhukhiv, Lubusz Voivodeship, Poland. Polish law enforcement agencies are investigating the circumstances of the incident and its possible motives.
On the evening of August 1, in the town of Kozhukhiv (Lubusz Voivodeship), three Ukrainian citizens—37-year-old Volodymyr, 32-year-old Vasyl, and 28-year-old Adelina—were attacked. The incident took place on the private grounds of the hostel where the victims were staying.
