Poles Name the Main Reasons for Their Hostility Toward Ukrainians
The deterioration in attitudes toward Ukrainians in Poland is most often linked to two issues—controversies surrounding the Volhynia tragedy and social benefits. At the same time, some Poles believe that public sentiment is influenced by Russian propaganda and statements made by Ukrainian politicians.
Sociologists were interested in why, in the opinion of Poles, attitudes toward Ukrainians in the country have worsened. Respondents could cite several reasons, which is why the total percentage of responses exceeds 100%. Controversies surrounding the Volhynia tragedy and historical policy ranked first. This reason was cited by 45.4% of respondents.
The second most common response was social benefits for Ukrainians in Poland—cited by 36.4% of respondents. Another 26.2% of Poles attribute the deterioration in attitudes to Russian propaganda and disinformation on the internet. A quarter of those surveyed—specifically 24.4%—pointed to the actions and statements of Ukrainian politicians regarding Poland. At the same time, only 7.6% of respondents said they had not noticed any deterioration in attitudes toward Ukrainians at all.
Poles have different views on the causes
The survey results vary significantly depending on the respondents’ political views. Among supporters of the ruling political camp, Russian propaganda and disinformation ranked first, cited by 49.5% of respondents. In second place were disputes surrounding the Volhynia tragedy and historical policy—37.2%. Social benefits provided to Ukrainians were cited by 24.6% of respondents.
Among supporters of the right-wing conservative opposition, the picture is different. They most frequently cited the controversies surrounding the Volhynia tragedy and historical policy—55.1%. Social benefits for Ukrainians came in second place—47.8%. Another 35.6% of respondents in this group pointed to the actions and statements of Ukrainian politicians regarding Poland.
Thus, political views significantly influence how Poles explain the deterioration in their attitudes toward Ukrainians. For some, Russian propaganda remains the more important issue, while others focus primarily on historical disputes and social policy.
How the Survey Was Conducted
The survey was conducted August 17–20 among 1,000 adult residents of Poland. A mixed-method approach was used. The results reflect the opinions of those surveyed and do not imply that these specific factors are the sole cause of the shift in attitudes toward Ukrainians in Polish society. This is evidenced by the results of a survey by the Public Opinion Research Center (CBOS), commissioned by the publication Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
The United States has provided Poland with $2.1 million worth of border security equipment, including 45 drones and nine state-of-the-art thermal imaging cameras. The aid was provided as part of an agreement signed on Tuesday.
