Majority of Poles express disapproval towards Poland backing Ukraine's admission into NATO, according to recent data, with approximately 53% in opposition.
In a poll commissioned by Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita and conducted by IBRiS in August 2023, a significant majority of Poles expressed opposition to Ukraine's immediate admission to NATO.
The data revealed that 52.7% of the 1,069 respondents were against Poland supporting Ukraine's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). This opposition was particularly high among certain demographics. For instance, among respondents over 50 years old, 62% were against the idea. Similarly, residents of rural areas showed a higher opposition to supporting Ukraine's NATO accession, with 62% expressing their disapproval.
Among those without higher education, opposition to supporting Ukraine's NATO accession was at 71%. Interestingly, the poll found that especially among respondents who described their material situation as unsatisfactory, opposition to supporting Ukraine's NATO accession was 91%.
The political party most associated with rejecting the majority of voters' support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration in Poland is linked to the ultraright groups supporting the new President Karol Nawrocki, who advocates a "Poland first" message and has vetoed social benefit laws aiding Ukrainian refugees. This reflects a growing skepticism in parts of the population and political scene toward Ukraine support.
During his election campaign, President Nawrocki pledged to block Ukraine's path to NATO, and his stance appears to have resonated with a significant portion of the electorate. However, among supporters of the ruling party, 59% said yes to Poland supporting Ukraine's accession to NATO.
In the same poll, 33.5% of respondents answered "yes" when asked whether Poland should support Ukraine's accession to NATO. Conversely, 40% supported Ukraine's immediate admission to the alliance, while 13.8% were undecided. Notably, during the poll, 47.7% opposed Ukraine's immediate admission to NATO.
The respondents' opinions largely depended on their political sympathies. Those who were against the idea were mainly voters who support the Law and Justice party, the far-right Confederation party, and the leftist Razem party. On the other hand, among supporters of the ruling party, a majority favoured Poland supporting Ukraine's accession to NATO.
The share of Poles opposing their country's support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration has risen to nearly 53%, according to the poll. This trend suggests a shift in public opinion that could have implications for Poland's foreign policy towards Ukraine.
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