EU Support for Ukraine Dips Amid Polish Diplomatic Rift

A Polling Europe survey from early July 2026 shows that 49% of European Union citizens support Ukraine's accession to the bloc. While Spain and Italy show strong support at 65% and 52% respectively, opposition is high in France, Germany, and Poland. In Poland, 49% of respondents oppose Ukraine joining as a full member.

This decline in Polish support follows a diplomatic conflict between Karol Nawrocki, the President of Poland, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Nawrocki stripped Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle after Ukraine named a military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, which conducted ethnic cleansing against Poles from 1943 to 1945. In response, Zelenskyy returned the honor and criticized Poland for maintaining awards given to Benito Mussolini and Gerhard Schröder.

To resolve the tension, Zelenskyy offered exhumation permits and access to archives concerning the WWII-era massacres. This move was welcomed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who expressed a readiness for dialogue on matters that both unite and divide the two nations.