A survey shows 68.9% of Poles support Ukraine’s EU accession, but only 11.9% want immediate membership without conditions.
Support for Ukraine in the EU is conditional
Exactly 68.9% of respondents support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. At the same time, only a small group wants Kyiv to join the community immediately and without meeting all requirements.
The research shows that 11.9% of Poles believe Ukraine should become an EU member as soon as possible, even without meeting all accession criteria. The largest group, as many as 57%, does not oppose membership, but on the condition of full legal adaptation and meeting all EU requirements. More than one-fifth (21%) of respondents are against Ukraine joining the EU. 10% of respondents had no opinion or refused to answer.
Who is most opposed to Ukraine’s accession?
Farmers declare the greatest resistance to Ukraine’s membership in the EU. 46.6% of them express opposition. A high level of reluctance is also visible among those who assess their financial situation as bad (35.9%) and respondents with right-wing views (33.6%).
The least enthusiastic are young adults aged 18-24. In this group, 32.1% oppose accession. The biggest supporters of integration are people with left-wing views – 88.3% support Ukraine’s membership, of which 69.9% conditionally. High support is also recorded among residents of the largest cities, people with higher education, and people who do not participate in religious practices.
Ukraine wants a date for EU accession
Parallel to the discussions in Poland, there is a debate in Europe about the pace of Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Kyiv is seeking to include a specific accession date in a potential peace agreement negotiated with Russia under the patronage of the United States.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced that his country will do everything to be ready to join the EU in 2027. In Brussels, concepts such as so-called “reverse membership” are being considered, which would involve the formal acceptance of Ukraine into the EU before full integration into all community policies. However, this scenario raises doubts among some member states. The most reluctant to admit Poland’s eastern neighbor to the community are said to be Viktor Orbán’s Hungary.
Poland declares support for Kyiv
Representatives of Polish authorities, in turn, declare support for Ukraine’s European aspirations. During a visit to Kyiv, Marshal of the Sejm Włodzimierz Czarzasty assured President Zelensky of Poland’s support for Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
“A safe Ukraine means a safe Poland. Ukraine’s security will be strengthened when it joins the European Union,” Czarzasty emphasized. The Marshal also noted that Ukraine’s integration with the EU is not only a security issue but also a potential economic opportunity for Polish firms – RMF24 reports based on PAP information. He added that Poland has experience in using EU funds and can share this knowledge with Kyiv. The CBOS survey for DGP was conducted on February 9-11 using the CATI method among 1000 respondents.