Radio NV survey measures Ukrainians' willingness to help Poland if Russia attacks
Nation5 July, 04:51 PM
The poll, conducted on July 5, among 2,001 respondents, asked: "Have the recent disputes with Poland affected your willingness to help the country if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin were to attack it?"
The responses were as follows:
We must help; Poland is an allied nation — 815 votes (40.7%)
I am still willing to help, but less than before — 670 votes (33.5%)
I no longer have any desire to help — 516 votes (25.8%)
The poll is not representative of the Ukrainian population as a whole.
Ukraine-Poland tensions — key developments
On June 19, Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland's highest state honor, the Order of the White Eagle. Nawrocki criticized Ukraine's decision to name a military unit after the Heroes of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA).
Zelenskyy later compared the Polish president to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, accusing him of exploiting Ukraine-related issues for domestic political gain and saying the dispute "would end badly."
On June 20, several Ukrainian politicians and officials announced they were returning their Polish state awards in protest. They included Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, former Ukrainian presidents Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko and Petro Poroshenko.
The same day, Zelenskyy said he had sent the Order of the White Eagle back to the Polish president, posting a photo from a Nova Poshta branch.
Amid the tensions, Zelenskyy did not attend the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk. The Ukrainian delegation at the June 25-26 event was led by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
On June 28, during his Constitution Day address, Zelenskyy announced that he had submitted a bill on the Ukrainian National Pantheon to parliament. The legislation proposes honoring "the most outstanding representatives of the Ukrainian nation."
Polish outlet Onet, citing government sources, reported that Polish officials were surprised by Zelenskyy's decision and believed the bill could further strain relations between the two countries.