Zelensky's Honor Sours Polish Views of Ukraine, Poll Shows

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to award a unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces the honorary title "Heroes of the UIA" has provoked a strong reaction in Poland. According to a poll conducted by SW Research for the daily Rzeczpospolita, more than half of Poles surveyed said the move had negatively affected their view of Ukraine and Ukrainians.

Some 51.9% of respondents said their attitude towards Ukraine had worsened following the decision. Only 4.5% declared a more positive view, while 31.9% said their opinion had remained unchanged and 11.7% could not say. Negative views were more common among men, people under 24 and respondents with lower incomes.

The Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA) is a particularly sensitive issue in Poland. Historians associate it with the Volhynia massacre during the Second World War, in which tens of thousands of Polish civilians were killed. Zelensky's decision has therefore provoked a sharp reaction in both Polish society and politics.

The survey was conducted on 9 and 10 June 2026 on a sample of 800 respondents.

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