Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Has Poland fallen out of love with Ukraine?

Why has anti-Ukrainian feeling been growing in Poland? From welcoming them with open arms four years ago, now many Poles want Ukrainians to go home.

Why has anti-Ukrainian feeling been growing in Poland? In 2022, when President Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Poland opened its doors and the Poles their hearts to Ukrainian refugees. Millions of Ukrainians passed through Poland, getting all kinds of help from local people and from the Polish government. Many stayed. But there has been a dramatic change in feelings towards Ukrainians, particularly in recent months. From a 鈥渓ove鈥 of their neighbours, according to opinion polls, today more than half of Polish people express anti-Ukrainian sentiments. Cases of Ukrainians receiving verbal and physical abuse, both online and in real life have risen significantly. Polish military support for Kyiv remains vital. So why has this downturn happened and what could the consequences be? Does the answer lie in compassion fatigue or are there more sinister things going on? What role is dis-information online playing? And what about nationalist politics on both sides of the border?

Producer and Presenter: John Murphy
Fixer and translator: Grzegorz Sokol
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Studio Mix: James Beard
Editor: Penny Murphy

Release date:

28 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Tue 22 Sep 2026 21:00
  • Mon 28 Sep 2026 00:15

Podcast