CBOS Poll Reveals Polish Expectations on Relations and Security with Ukraine

A new CBOS poll reveals that 59 percent of Poles support revoking Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Order of the White Eagle, while three-quarters emphasize the need for bilateral cooperation against the Russian threat.

Order of the White Eagle Revocation

According to the latest CBOS survey, 59 percent of respondents positively evaluate President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle. At the same time, three-quarters of surveyed individuals believe that Poland and Ukraine should primarily cooperate in the face of the Russian threat.

Data from the CBOS poll shows that 28 percent of respondents view the president’s decision regarding Zelenskyy’s Order of the White Eagle negatively. Meanwhile, opinions on the consequences of this step for Poland are divided, with 41 percent of respondents believing it brings Poland more losses than benefits, and an identical 41 percent holding the view that benefits outweigh losses.

Historical Disputes and State Reaction

CBOS pointed out that a decisive majority of respondents, 84 percent, believe the Polish state should react when another country glorifies historical figures responsible for crimes against Poles. Simultaneously, the issue of Ukrainians’ right to their own historical heroes generates greater divisions, as 44 percent of respondents agree that Ukrainians have a right to their own heroes even if they left a negative mark on Poland’s history, while 42 percent hold the opposite view.

According to the survey, Poles perceive the political underpinnings of the Polish-Ukrainian dispute. 73 percent of respondents agree with the statement that Polish and Ukrainian politicians stoke conflicts between the two countries for their own political gain. Furthermore, 80 percent believe that Russia benefits from the dispute.

Priorities in Bilateral Cooperation

At the same time, 75 percent of respondents indicate that Poland and Ukraine should primarily cooperate in the face of the Russian threat rather than focus on issues that divide them. Additionally, 52 percent of respondents consider that both countries have more common than divergent goals and interests, whereas 31 percent hold the contrary opinion.

When asked about Poland’s priorities in relations with Ukraine, respondents most frequently pointed to security cooperation at 61 percent. Subsequent positions included building good neighborly relations at 46 percent, proper commemoration of the victims of the Volhynian slaughter at 43 percent, strengthening Poland’s position as a leader in the European region at 41 percent, and the participation of Polish companies in the reconstruction of Ukraine at 40 percent.

CBOS Typology of Public Attitudes

CBOS distinguished three groups of respondents based on their approach to the Polish-Ukrainian dispute. The largest group consists of the so-called moralists, accounting for 46 percent of surveyed individuals. These are people who, in the research center’s assessment, adopt a more confrontational stance toward Ukrainian policy, with 95 percent of them considering the decision to strip Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle to be correct, and 99 percent holding the view that good Polish-Ukrainian relations cannot be built without settling the past.

The second group distinguished by CBOS comprises pragmatists, representing 34 percent of respondents. To a greater extent than moralists, they focus on the future and cooperation, with 70 percent believing that Ukrainians have a right to their own heroes despite their negative role in Poland’s history, and 70 percent critically evaluating the decision to deprive Zelenskyy of the Polish decoration. Concurrently, 96 percent of pragmatists think that Poland and Ukraine should cooperate in the face of the Russian threat, and historical disputes should take a backseat.

The smallest group identified by CBOS consists of the so-called withdrawn, making up 20 percent of respondents. These individuals more frequently than others lack a definitive opinion on issues concerning Polish-Ukrainian relations. Nevertheless, 54 percent of them consider Karol Nawrocki’s decision to revoke Zelenskyy’s Order of the White Eagle to be correct, and 55 percent agree that Poland and Ukraine should primarily cooperate against the Russian threat.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted from July 2 to July 12, 2026, on a sample of 938 adult residents of Poland.