Sharp Decline in Polish Support for Military Aid to Ukraine

A recent IBRiS survey for Rzeczpospolita reveals that 52.2 percent of Poles now support continued military assistance to Ukraine, marking a significant drop in public backing compared to late 2022.

Military support trends

According to the IBRiS survey conducted via CATI on July 10-11 among 1,067 respondents, 52.2 percent believe Poland should continue providing military support to Ukraine. Conversely, 45.2 percent oppose this stance, while 2.5 percent remain undecided. The data shows 22.6 percent strongly favor continued aid, while 23.7 percent are strictly against it.

Comparison to post-war peak

Public sentiment has shifted drastically since the early stages of the conflict. In a similar IBRiS poll conducted in late December 2022, 77.5 percent of respondents favored sending weapons and equipment to Ukrainian soldiers, with only 18.3 percent opposing the move.

Public opinion on EU accession

Public division is also evident regarding Ukraine’s entry into the European Union. An IBRiS study for Radio ZET, conducted in mid-June with 1,068 participants, found that only 8.4 percent “definitely” support Ukraine joining the EU, while 26.9 percent answered “rather yes.” A combined 59.7 percent expressed opposition, choosing either “rather not” or “definitely not.”

Ongoing EU negotiation process

Despite mixed public opinion, the European Union is moving forward with the integration process. In June, the EU opened its first negotiation cluster with Ukraine, four years after the country was granted candidate status. EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated that Ukraine has met its reform obligations, leading to the opening of a second negotiation cluster on July 14.