Six in ten Poles oppose Ukraine's EU membership as Gdańsk recovery conference opens
A new IBRiS poll for Radio Zet finds 59.7% of Poles oppose Ukraine joining the EU, with only 35.3% in favour, as the Ukraine Recovery Conference begins in Gdańsk under strained bilateral relations.
Poll findings
A survey by the IBRiS institute for Radio Zet, conducted on 12–13 June among 1,068 adult Poles, shows a clear majority against Ukrainian EU membership. Overall, 59.7 percent of respondents are against accession, with 32.3 percent answering "zdecydowanie nie" (definitely not) and 27.4 percent "raczej nie" (rather not). Backing the idea are 35.3 percent, where only 8.4 percent opted for "zdecydowanie tak" (definitely yes) and 26.9 percent for "raczej tak" (rather yes). Five percent offered no opinion.
- Support
- 35.3 %
- Oppose
- 59.7 %
- Undecided
- 5 %
Political divide
Attitudes split strongly along political lines. Among supporters of the ruling coalition (KO, Lewica, PSL, Polska 2050), 64 percent back Ukraine’s EU entry while 32 percent oppose it. Voters of the opposition bloc (PiS, Konfederacja, Konfederacja Korony Polskiej, Razem) hold the reverse view: 73 percent are against accession and only 24 percent in favour.
- Ruling coalition
- 64 %
- Opposition
- 24 %
Strained relationship backdrop
The poll is released as Polish-Ukrainian ties have soured. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy granted one of his army units the name "Heroes of UPA" (Ukrainian Insurgent Army), a decision condemned in Warsaw. In response, Polish president Karol Nawrocki revoked Zelenskyy’s Order of the White Eagle, the country’s highest distinction. The Ukrainian head of state subsequently returned the decoration by courier, and several Ukrainian officials, including Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha, renounced their Polish state awards.
The road of Ukraine to European structures also requires readiness to honestly confront the difficult pages of its own history. A united Europe was built on the rejection of totalitarianisms and the cult of violence. These principles must apply to everyone. For those who do not understand this, there is no place in the European Union and Poland will certainly not allow it.
Conference goes ahead
Despite the tensions, the two-day Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk is proceeding. President Zelenskyy, First Lady Olena Zelenska and FM Sybiha cancelled their attendance; the Ukrainian delegation is instead led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Polish prime minister Donald Tusk stated the event would be held regardless of recent incidents. Nawrocki has separately warned that Ukraine’s EU accession would threaten Polish agriculture.
Ukraine’s EU path
Ukraine obtained candidate status in 2022 after Russia’s full-scale invasion. EU leaders formally agreed to open accession negotiations in December 2023, and the first negotiating cluster – "Fundamentals" covering rule of law, judicial reform and anti-corruption – was officially opened in Luxembourg on 15 June 2026, after Hungary dropped its veto following a change of government.
- Ukraine obtains EU candidate status after Russia's full-scale invasion.
- EU leaders formally agree to open accession negotiations with Ukraine.
- First negotiating cluster 'Fundamentals' is opened in Luxembourg, after Hungary lifts its veto.
