Poland was once Ukraine’s most vocal supporter. Now the government is preoccupied with its own battle: as Poland attempts to secure its own sovereignty against Russia, its politicians disagree on how to deal with those Ukrainians who are making Poland their home. This struggle is undermining Poland’s effectiveness in the Ukrainian war effort, constraining Polish foreign policy, and leaving Poland’s key allies unsure of its position toward Ukraine. For Europeans, Poland’s domestic paralysis is actively undermining the entire Western response to Russia’s actions at the most critical moment for European security since the cold war.
Poland's Externa; War: Russia
Poland views Russia’s war against Ukraine as the first stage of a Moscow-led imperialist project which threatens Polish sovereignty. Effectively, this means Poland is equating its own struggle against Russian expansionism with Ukraine’s resistance against Vladimir Putin: Polish prime minster Donald Tusk remarked in March 2025 that “Poland’s national interest requires unequivocal, lasting support for Ukraine in its defence against Russian aggression” is “non-negotiable”.
As such, since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has provided extensive military and political support while mobilising assistance among its allies. Poland is the main logistics hub in Europe for defence and humanitarian aid, with 80% of military donations transiting through the country; between 2022 and 2024, the country spent €40bn (1.9% of its GDP) on defence and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, including refugee costs. It has also delivered 47 military aid packages to date—a feat which continues, despite the risk of Russian strikes on Polish territory. Poland is also engaged against Russia diplomatically: in July 2024, Tusk signed a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky to provide military assistance, defence industry cooperation and support for Ukraine’s NATO and EU membership bids. Poland also participates in, for example, the Ukraine Defence Contact Group and has imposed its own sanctions against Russia while actively supporting European efforts to weaken Russia’s economy. Poland is also a member of the “Coalition of the Willing”, co-chaired by Britain and France, whose members last week pledged strong defence support for Ukraine.
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