Poland has been one of Ukraine’s strongest allies since the full-scale war began in 2022.
The country has provided military aid, humanitarian assistance, and political support.
Many Poles welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their homes, and public sentiment was overwhelmingly in favor of helping their eastern neighbor, reports the Kyiv Indenpendent.
But as the war nears its third anniversary, opinions are shifting.
A new survey from the Mieroszewski Center shows that fewer Poles now support military aid to Ukraine compared to the start of 2024.
In February, 54% of respondents were in favor of continued military assistance. By December, that number had dropped to 49%.
The percentage of people who said “definitely yes” declined from 18% to 16%, while those answering “rather yes” fell from 36% to 33%.
At the same time, opposition to military aid increased.
In February, 11% of respondents were firmly against sending weapons to Ukraine, and 15% were leaning in that direction.
By December, those numbers had grown to 16% and 19%, respectively.
Support for Ukrainian refugees has also weakened slightly. In early 2024, 42% of Poles backed continued assistance for refugees.
By the end of the year, that number had fallen to 40%. Meanwhile, opposition to refugee support rose from 33% to 37%.
This marks a significant shift from March 2022, when 94% of Poles supported helping Ukrainian refugees.
As of January 2025, nearly one million Ukrainian refugees remain in Poland, according to U.N. data.
Poland hosts the second-largest number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe, behind only Germany.
The survey also measured public attitudes toward Ukrainians in general. The percentage of Poles with a negative view of Ukrainians increased from 27% to 30%.
Those with a positive view dropped slightly from 25% to 23%.
These trends mirror shifts seen in other Western countries that have supported Ukraine. Public fatigue is growing as the war continues with no clear end in sight.
Several Western leaders have warned against declining support and urged their nations to stay committed to helping Kyiv.
