Resentment on the Western Front
There is growing bitterness among Poles toward Ukrainian refugees, owing to fears about rising housing prices and other economic problems. Worse, the country’s media and political establishments have largely ignored the issue, all but ensuring that it will become a ticking bomb in Poland’s politics.
WARSAW – Poland is home to about 2.7 million refugees from Ukraine: 1.2 million arrived after 2014, and a further 1.5 million arrived following Russia’s invasion on February 24. By comparison, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports that Germany has taken in one million Ukrainians, the Czech Republic 464,000, and several other countries 200,000 or less. As of mid-October, some 4.7 million Ukrainians had registered for temporary protection outside their country.