Dr. Justyna Pierzynska (Faculty of Social Sciences, Media and Communication Studies, University of Helsinki) gave a lecture on the effects of the war in Ukraine on Poland at the Institute of European Studies, on June 24, 2022, focusing on the influx of refugees from Ukraine and the media picture in Poland according to the current crisis. Justyna pointed out the dominance of the official political and social narrative, which implies unequivocal support for the Ukrainian people and state, while on the other hand there is a very narrow space for any criticism of the state or the Polish leadership on current events. Namely, the influx of about 4.6 million refugees from Ukraine to Poland (according to the latest data from June) and efforts to take care of them, in the form of financial state support to landlords and significant social benefits for mothers with children, point to awareness of the possible longevity of the crisis. for the remaining refugees and their adequate integration into society.
However, there is still a shadow of concern about what such a situation would mean for the future and how it would affect the local population – politically, economically, socially, but such voices have been muffled. For now, support remains, not only on the declarative level, which perhaps best depicts the narrative “Fight for Ukraine is a Fight for Poland”, and flooded urban spaces with Ukrainian flags, posters and billboards expressing support for Ukraine, and condemnation of Russian action. and in the form of significant military / armed support. On the other hand, different attitudes regarding the Ukrainian crisis have led to the disrupted relations between Poland and Hungary, and how things will continue on the domestic level in Poland, and on the geopolitical and relations with other countries, remains to be seen in the days and in the months to come, concluded Dr. Pierzynska.