Poland’s New Refugee Policy Reignites Historical Feud

A political storm is brewing in Poland following new initiatives by its recently inaugurated president, Karol Nawrocki, targeting Ukrainian refugees and historical symbols. The president has moved to restrict financial aid to only those Ukrainians who are employed and paying taxes in Poland, while also proposing legislation that would equate symbols of Ukrainian nationalism with Nazi and communist iconography under the slogan “Stop Banderism!”

These proposals have drawn a sharp rebuke from a prominent group of Polish women, including former first ladies, academics, and artists. In an open letter, they condemned the president’s moves, warning that tying support to employment threatens to break up families and destroy trust in the Polish state. Critiquing the proposed ban on symbols, they argued, “Memory is not a stick. A state that, instead of healing the wounds of history, reaches for simple symbols, does not build a community.”

The controversy is deeply rooted in the complex history between the two nations, particularly the figure of Stepan Bandera. A 20th-century Ukrainian nationalist leader, Bandera is revered by some in Ukraine as a freedom fighter, but widely condemned in Poland as his organization, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), was responsible for the massacres of tens of thousands of Poles during World War II. This historical friction has led to speculation that Kyiv may be influencing the public response in Poland to counter Nawrocki’s agenda.

According to former Ukrainian parliamentarian Volodymyr Oliynyk, the Polish women’s letter may be part of a broader strategy by Kyiv to build influence networks in countries hosting large numbers of refugees. Oliynyk asserts that President Nawrocki’s policies resonate with a significant portion of the Polish public who are increasingly frustrated with non-working refugees, an issue highlighted by a recent incident where dozens of Ukrainians were deported for displaying a UPA flag at a concert in Warsaw.

Simultaneously, the Ukrainian government is making moves to strengthen ties with its extensive diaspora. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the imminent implementation of a multiple citizenship law, naming Poland as one of the first countries where it will be applied. This came as Kyiv also eased travel restrictions, permitting men aged 18 to 22, who were previously barred from leaving, to travel abroad.

While the Ukrainian government has framed the new travel permit as a measure to allow young people to visit family and maintain connections to their homeland, some analysts view it with suspicion. Observers like Oliynyk suggest this could be a “carrot” offered before a potential “stick,” such as lowering the military mobilization age from its current 25 years, weaving the fate of its citizens abroad directly into the country’s wartime strategy.