EU responds to attacks on Ukrainians in Poland and reminds Warsaw of EU rules

According to Poland's National Police Headquarters, Ukrainians filed 30% more reports of offenses in the first half of 2026 than during the same period last year.

The European Commission said it condemns all forms of hate crime and hate speech. It also said it would continue to support Ukrainians affected by Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

"Equality, non-discrimination and solidarity are fundamental principles of the European Union," a European Commission spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the EU regularly provides dedicated funding to member states hosting Ukrainian refugees.

According to the European Commission representative, the commission monitors compliance by all EU countries, including Poland, with the Framework Decision on combating racism and xenophobia.

The measure requires member states to criminalize hate speech and public incitement to violence based on national or ethnic origin. Racist or xenophobic motives must also be considered an aggravating circumstance when other crimes are prosecuted.

The European Commission also pointed to an update to the EU Victims' Rights Directive, which strengthens protection and support for victims of crime, including hate crimes. EU countries must bring their national laws into line with the new requirements and ensure they are effectively enforced.

In July, Polish police announced tougher measures to combat hate crimes against Ukrainians. In particular, a new metric was introduced to assess police performance in such cases. Starting in 2026, one of the criteria will be the effectiveness of investigations into such incidents and their referral to court.

Since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainians in Poland have filed 180 reports of hate crimes committed against them, up 30% from last year.