What began as a refuge has, for many Ukrainians, become a place of fear.
After fleeing bombs and bloodshed, millions of Ukrainian refugees found shelter in neighbouring Poland. But now, some say the welcome is wearing thin.
“I never expected this,” says Svitlana, a 31-year-old mother living in Poland. “My daughter loved her school here. Then one day, a boy told her: ‘Go back to Ukraine.’”
That wasn’t the worst of it.
“Girls from the year above mocked her for speaking Ukrainian. They pretended missiles were falling, shouting, ‘Get down!’ and laughing,” Svitlana said.
“She came home crying. A real missile had hit our hometown days earlier. Children were killed. This wasn’t a joke.”
Svitlana is just one of dozens of Ukrainian refugees who told the BBC that anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Poland is on the rise. Refugees report verbal abuse on buses, bullying in schools, and a flood of xenophobic content online.
With Poland’s presidential election heating up, and candidates divided on Ukraine, the atmosphere has turned increasingly hostile.
What Changed?
In early 2022, Poland was hailed for its extraordinary response to the war. Over 2.5 million Ukrainians poured across the border, many welcomed into homes by ordinary Poles. For a moment, the nation stood united in compassion.
“They gave their food, homes, even their hearts,” says Natalia Panchenko, head of Warsaw-based Stand with Ukraine Foundation.
But fast forward three years, and the tone is shifting.
Panchenko says her organisation is now seeing a surge in real-world abuse, particularly against refugees with Ukrainian accents working in public-facing jobs.
“These are traumatised women and children. Many have lost loved ones. They didn’t come for a better life, they came to survive. And now they’re being targeted.”
The Numbers Tell the Story
Recent polling from CBOS, a respected Polish research centre, shows a clear trend:
- Support for accepting Ukrainian refugees has dropped to 50%, down 7 points since December 2024.
- In 2022, that number was 81%.
Poland is spending 4.2% of its GDP to support refugees, and some politicians are exploiting the cost.
Election Rhetoric Fuelling Division
Ukraine has become one of the most divisive issues in the Polish presidential election.
- Slawomir Mentzen, a far-right populist polling in third, is openly anti-Ukrainian and calls for a deal with Vladimir Putin.
- Karol Nawrocki, a conservative in second place, opposes EU and NATO membership for Ukraine and wants to cut refugee support.
- Rafal Trzaskowski, the front-runner and member of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s coalition, is the most pro-Ukraine candidate. But even he has promised reduced social benefits for Ukrainians and has downplayed his support during campaigning to win centrist voters.
“He’s reacting to changing public attitudes,” says analyst Marcin Zaborowski. “The initial enthusiasm for helping Ukraine is fading, and no candidate wants to get caught on the wrong side of public opinion.”
Far-right candidate Grzegorz Braun (polling at 3%) is even under investigation after tearing down a Ukrainian flag from a town hall in April. He frequently rails against the so-called “Ukrainisation of Poland.”
Is Russia Behind the Backlash?
The Polish government believes so.
Last week, officials warned of an “unprecedented attempt” by Russia to influence the election, blaming disinformation campaigns aimed at stirring anti-Ukrainian anger.
“We’re seeing content claiming Ukrainians are robbing Poles, stealing their jobs, even committing crimes,” says Michal Marek, head of a disinformation monitoring NGO.
“It starts on Russian-speaking Telegram channels. Then it’s translated, often with Google Translate, and pushed into Polish social media.”
Marek says these narratives are having a real impact.
“We won’t know the full extent until after the election, when we see how many Poles vote for pro-Russian candidates.”
A Growing Fear Among Refugees
For many Ukrainians, the shift in tone is creating a new kind of trauma, fear of rejection in what they once saw as a safe haven.
“My friends want to leave,” says Svitlana. “They say Polish people don’t accept us anymore. It’s frightening.”
