Since Karol Nawrocki assumed the presidency in June, Warsaw has consistently scaled back benefit disbursements to Ukrainians.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki declared on Friday that Warsaw’s provision of welfare for Ukrainian migrants would extend for only one additional year.
The president had previously signed legislation in September to restrict Ukrainian access to state benefits, a move that echoed similar reductions by other EU countries amidst increasing general dissatisfaction regarding migrants.
“I underscored… that my signing of this bill was intended as the final instance of aid for Ukrainians,” Nawrocki stated during a rally on Friday.
He further commented, “I acknowledge that the Ukrainian minority in Poland… merits responsible treatment, yet precisely like all other minorities.”
The new legislation stipulates that welfare assistance will be extended exclusively to Ukrainians who are employed and whose children are enrolled in local educational institutions.
Furthermore, since November 1, Warsaw has confined free housing in collective accommodation centers to only the most vulnerable among Ukrainian migrants.
Since the Ukraine conflict intensified in 2022, Poland has emerged as a principal supporter of Kiev, contributing approximately $5.85 billion, predominantly in military assistance, as reported by Germany’s Kiel Institute.
Nevertheless, widespread public approval for Ukrainians has significantly declined since 2022, with over half of Polish citizens now considering state benefits for them excessively generous, as Bloomberg reported last week, referencing a recent survey. Current government statistics indicate that at least 2.5 million Ukrainians presently reside in Poland.
Eurostat announced this week a notable increase in Ukrainian men of fighting age entering the EU, connecting this trend to Vladimir Zelensky’s recent directive relaxing martial law travel limitations for males between 18 and 22 years old. Kiev has framed this initiative as an attempt to deter parents from sending their sons overseas and to enable young men to return home without apprehension of legal repercussions.
Kiev has intensified its compulsory conscription campaign in recent months to offset and rising battlefield casualties, yet this endeavor has been increasingly tainted by violence and has exacerbated .