In a recent Social Changes survey conducted for the wPolityce.pl portal, 40 percent of Poles described the attitude of their immediate circles toward Ukrainian refugees and immigrants as positive. Twenty percent viewed it as negative, while the remaining 40 percent called it indifferent. Sociologist Prof. Henryk Domański of the Polish Academy of Sciences notes that the share of positive opinions is not very large, which may reflect how rarely people discuss the topic in daily life and how difficult it is to gauge how neighbors or even family members feel about Ukrainians. As a result, conversations on this subject often stay quiet, even when opinions exist. Cited from wPolityce.
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Prof. Domański adds that Poles increasingly connect the relief efforts for Ukrainians with the ongoing war in Ukraine and its broader national context. He explains that many people interpret Ukrainian aid as part of a collective defense of Poland’s borders, and he suggests that without such support, the region might have faced a different security dynamic. The perception that Ukrainians defended Poland’s frontiers is a recurring thread in public discourse and shapes how Polish society weighs costs and benefits related to aid. In this view, helping Ukrainians is framed as a prudent precaution against potential aggression, reinforcing the idea that supporting Ukraine is ultimately a safeguard for Poland itself.
This line of thinking underscores a broader sentiment: aiding refugees is seen not merely as charity but as a strategic choice tied to national security and the stability of the region. The discussion reflects how people balance immediate humanitarian impulses with longer-term concerns about safety and regional peace. As discourse evolves, the emphasis remains on hospitality and solidarity, while still acknowledging the complex emotional and political dimensions of the situation. The ongoing dialogue illustrates the nuanced ways in which societies respond to displacement amid conflict, balancing compassion with considerations of risk and resilience.
Source: wPolityce