Since the start of the war, around six million Ukrainians are said to have left their country and fled to other European countries. Poland is the country that received by far the most – almost four million.
At the same time that around half of all those who fled have now returned to Ukraine, a growing dissatisfaction has begun to simmer in Poland.
Dissatisfaction is growing
SVT’s broadcaster Valeria Helander says that there are things that the Poles get irritated by. She says that the Ukrainians have received a lot of help in Poland in the form of purely financial contributions, but also things like free bus and train travel.
– Then there are also some who come from non-war affected areas from Ukraine – some who have quite a lot of money – and come in nice cars to Poland. And this is something that even many Ukrainians are angry about and destroys for the refugees who need help.
Since late spring, she also feels that there have been more critical articles in traditional media about Ukrainians who take advantage of the system. But the dissatisfaction has also come in the form of posts on social media that have been widely spread.
– Aid organizations say that there are fewer and fewer volunteers, fewer and fewer donations and that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Ukrainians to get housing when Polish families no longer receive subsidies, says Valeria Helander.
“Ukraine’s business is our business”
At the same time, the two countries have a history that unites them. They have many cultural but also linguistic similarities.
– You see yourself as almost the same people. Many Poles have said that Ukraine’s cause is our cause. People have also – historically speaking – in Poland seen their own examples of Russian aggression and are very afraid that the war will come here as well, says Valeria Helander.