Polish support for Ukraine's EU bid hits record low, polls show

A shift in Polish attitudes

Two polls published in late July 2026 capture a marked cooling of Polish public sentiment toward Ukraine and Ukrainians. A CBOS survey of 938 adults found that 40% now oppose Ukraine's membership in the European Union, the highest level since the pollster began tracking the question. The Opinia24 poll for "Polityka" (1,000 respondents, 13–15 July) shows 36% of Poles say their attitude toward Ukrainians has worsened since the full-scale war began, while only 3% report an improvement. The same survey records rising physical and verbal aggression against Ukrainians living in Poland, with police detaining suspects in recent cases.

EU accession: record opposition

The CBOS numbers reveal a steep decline in enthusiasm. While 50% still support Ukraine eventually joining the EU, only 9% want fast-track membership, the lowest figure ever recorded and down 9 percentage points from October 2023. The share favouring gradual integration fell by 15 points to 41%. Opposition, meanwhile, jumped 23 points from October 2023 to reach 40%. Resistance is strongest among right-wing respondents (53%) and the youngest cohort aged 18–24 (58%).

Only 9% of respondents currently support the fastest possible EU membership for Ukraine, the lowest result in the history of these surveys (a drop of 9 percentage points since October 2023).

The Opinia24 poll puts opposition to Poland supporting Ukraine's EU bid at 52%, with only 33% in favour.

The Order of the White Eagle and military aid

President Karol Nawrocki's decision to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, announced nearly a month ago, retains broad backing: 55% support the move, 27% oppose it. The gesture has also boosted Nawrocki's overall approval ratings by more than 5 percentage points, according to Polityka. Support for revoking the order extends beyond his base, drawing around 30% of PSL and Poland 2050 voters and even 16% of Civic Coalition identifiers.

On military assistance, 44% of respondents would suspend aid to Ukraine because of the commemoration of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) there, while 41% say Poland should continue helping regardless. PiS prime ministerial candidate Przemysław Czarnek had earlier proposed a temporary halt to military aid after Zelenskyy named a Ukrainian unit after "Heroes of the UPA."

Peacekeeping and the war's endgame

Poles are overwhelmingly against sending their own troops to supervise a future ceasefire or peace deal: 65% oppose such a mission, 18% support it. On the war's trajectory, 55% of CBOS respondents expect Ukraine to make territorial concessions, a view dominant since December 2024. Yet pessimism has eased since December 2025: the share predicting partial territorial loss fell 8 points, and those foreseeing full Russian subjugation dropped from 8% to 6%. The proportion who believe Russian forces will withdraw rose from 8% to 14%, including 11% who expect a return to pre-February 2022 borders and 3% who think Kyiv will also regain territories lost in 2014.

How much help is enough?

Asked about Western military, financial and humanitarian support, 39% of Poles consider it sufficient. Another 27% say it is too much, a view concentrated among right-wing and Confederation supporters (48%) and the less educated, while 22% deem it insufficient, with older respondents (65+, 33%) and voters of ruling and left-wing parties (35%) most likely to hold that opinion.