The results of a public opinion poll conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analysis centre show that Ukrainians’ attitude towards Poland remains consistently positive, yet is becoming more nuanced. Overall, 56.4% of respondents view Poland positively, whilst 14.7% view it negatively. Compared to August 2025, the proportion of positive views has remained almost unchanged (56.7%), whilst negative views have risen from 12.7% to 14.7%.
The breakdown of responses indicates a predominance of moderate views. The proportion of ‘entirely positive’ attitudes stands at 19.3%, whilst ‘mostly positive’ attitudes account for 37.1%. At the same time, the proportion of neutral views remains significant at 27.5%. This means that for a significant proportion of respondents, Poland does not evoke clearly defined emotional reactions, but is perceived rather through a pragmatic lens.
Negative attitudes are also predominantly moderate in nature: 12.4% of respondents chose the ‘mostly negative’ option, and only 2.3% chose ‘completely negative’. The proportion of those who were undecided is minimal (1.4%), indicating that Ukrainians’ perceptions of the country are sufficiently well-formed.
The dynamics of change between 2025 and 2026 indicate a certain increase in criticality in the perception of Poland. Whilst the overall positive balance is maintained, the proportion of unequivocally positive assessments is gradually decreasing, whilst the proportion of negative ones is increasing. This trend may indicate a shift from an emotionally positive to a more measured and rational perception.
It is important to note that, at the same time, Poland remains a country with a predominantly positive image in Ukrainian society. The ratio of positive to negative assessments, which is more than three times in favour of the positive, indicates that a high level of trust and a generally favourable attitude are maintained. At the same time, the growth in the negative component signals the emergence of new factors influencing public opinion.
The high proportion of neutral responses deserves special attention. This may indicate that, for some respondents, Poland is not an emotionally polarising factor, but is perceived as an important, though not unquestionable, partner. In such a situation, even minor changes in the information landscape or practical interactions could influence the balance of assessments in the future.
“Ukrainians do not view the world in black and white and assess other countries quite objectively. Where there is more information and experience of interaction, a more balanced attitude is formed. At the same time, even minor changes in the political or information environment can influence the dynamics of assessments,” noted Oleksandr Pozniy, director of the research company Active Group.
Overall, the survey results indicate that attitudes towards Poland in Ukraine remain consistently positive, but are gradually becoming more complex and multi-dimensional. This reflects a general trend towards the rationalisation of public opinion, where countries are assessed not only on the basis of emotions, but also taking into account specific experiences of interaction and the current context.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical centre based on data from the State Customs Service, Poland ranks second in terms of total trade in goods with Ukraine, with a figure of over $13 billion, second only to China. At the same time, Poland remains one of Ukraine’s key trading partners within the EU, although the trade balance is also negative for Ukraine.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press centre; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found via this link on the Experts Club analytical centre’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, POLAND, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEYS, UKRAINE, URAKIN
