Since the beginning of a full -fledged war, the attitude of the Poles towards Ukrainians has changed significantly. Initially, solidarity and support prevailed, and over time, various factors began to negatively influence public moods.
Lukash Mazurkevich, director of Arc Rynek I Mindia, told about this in an interview with New Poland. This company was carried out by Poles in Ukraine and Polish relations for the center of Miroshevsky.
Mazurkevich writes that the emotions regarding Ukrainians in the society of Poland are different.
In 2022, the Poles supported Ukrainian refugees. However, over time, social attention has shifted to social assistance. The Poles see that the standard of life of Poland to Ukrainians is contradictory: some are unlikely to make ends meet, while others go to expensive cars, which is very rich.
It also raises suspicion of social assistance, and SOWS doubts the fairness of its spread: whether it really comes for those who need it, or perhaps those who can do without it. The answers to these questions are a separate topic, but first of all we are talking about emotions and subjective observations of the poles. Although there are many positive associations with Ukrainians.
The Poles consider Ukrainians tough, enterprising and able to adapt. In general, public moods vary depending on the circumstances: in large cities where there are many contacts between people, there are more personal experience with Ukrainians, while in cities and villages it is limited or absent, because there is practically no interaction.
In the villages, the idea of someone is usually based on rumors, information from social networks. The more personal communication, better understanding and stronger positive impressions. Ukrainians are well integrated into Polish society, and this process is stable. However, the proximity of the two peoples causes not only harmony, but also a certain tension. It is logical that we usually argue with which we have the closest relationship.
The Poles began to ask the question: are we dealing with refugees or not refugees? Ukrainians – migrants of the military or economical? At the very beginning of a full -fledged war, millions of Ukrainians were in Poland. Many of them have gone later, so now this number is likely to approach one and a half million. Nevertheless, this number is constantly changing, because people run between Poland and Ukraine. There is some misunderstanding among the Polish public: if they are refugees who were looking for refuge and safety, why are they regularly returning home, where did they run from?
Nevertheless, it is worth asking the Ukrainians themselves how convenient they are in Poland, how they perceive Polish society or in any other European country, it would be better than here. I’m not talking about financial assistance now, ”says Mazurkevich.
She recalled that a person or institution who received Ukrainian refugees received 40 PLN per day per person. In July 2024, this help was canceled. Now Ukrainians in Poland receive 800 PLN for each child every month. Nevertheless, political circles indicate the need to cancel this payment to those who officially do not work and do not pay taxes in Poland.
According to Mazurkevich, over time, emotions naturally disappear, moods are corrected, but there is no need to consider this a change in the general trend. Polish society continues to support Ukraine and politically. For example, 49% of respondents for further military assistance.
The turning point in changing the attitude of the poles to Ukraine in 2022-2024 is difficult to indicate. This happened gradually, but the so -called grain crisis played its role, as well as the supply of Polish coal to support Ukrainian energy after Russian shelling. Nevertheless, not only this influenced public opinion: the implementation of the Poles was of great importance that Ukraine is not only the state that wages the war, but also a powerful economic competitor with great potential.
It turned out that Ukraine can produce and export products that can fill the Polish market. For many it was a discovery. In addition, powerful Ukrainian capital was invested in Polish enterprises (for example, frozen products in Kalish). This caused surprise, misunderstanding and, accordingly, contradictions. There was a dissonance: Ukrainians – victims who lost everything? Are the rich factories capable of buying?
The starting point was the protests of the Polish farmers on the border and the scattering of Ukrainian grain.
The middle pole, of course, heard about the blockade of the farm, but this is not a question that is deeply concerned about the whole public. Protests of agrarians in Poland are a common occurrence, which is periodically repeated from economic problems, including low prices for agricultural farms. Farmers often block roads and scattered products – to attract attention. These actions are already perceived as a day and do not cause mass discussions. Polish farmers receive significant support from the state (in particular, thanks to the subsidies of the European Union), so their requirements are often sent to government or European institutions.
Farmers protest throughout Europe, from Brussels to Paris – in particular, they scatter grains, apples, beets and even pus. Both Polish and Ukrainian politicians understand that when Ukraine joins the EU, Ukrainian farmers will also face similar difficulties due to competition with other states.
These issues should be resolved through economic negotiations, and not creating political conflicts. In this context, it is worth mentioning the protests of Polish transport companies through competition with Ukrainian carriers – all this is part of the new reality. Since the Ukrainian economy is increasingly integrating with the European, such conflicts will probably only intensify.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.