The poll, conducted by the Institute for Market and Social Research (IBRiS) in June for the Defence24 outlet and the Stand With Ukraine Foundation, combined both quantitative and qualitative methods to gauge public opinion.
According to the results, 52 percent of Poles support continuing international assistance for Ukraine. However, 44 percent oppose Ukraine’s integration into the European Union, and 42 percent are against its membership in NATO.
Nearly half of respondents (47 percent) believe that Poland is not adequately prepared to repel a potential Russian attack, and three-quarters of those surveyed (75 percent) say NATO should strengthen its eastern flank.
Support for Ukraine appears to be tempered by fears of overextension.
Some 44 percent of respondents want to reduce economic aid to Ukraine, and 46 percent favour limiting military support.
Focus group participants expressed the view that Poland has already contributed significantly to Ukraine’s defence and may not be able to afford more. Still, 42 percent see ongoing support for Ukraine as being in Poland’s strategic interest.
A large majority – 64 percent – oppose sending Polish troops into Ukraine, and 60 percent reject the idea of intercepting Russian drones or missiles over Ukrainian territory.
The data suggests that many Poles prefer to avoid direct military involvement and instead focus on domestic defence capabilities within the NATO framework.
The prospect of peace negotiations also revealed nuanced opinions.
The focus group discussions indicated that Poles want a just peace, not Ukrainian capitulation.
While 62 percent support the idea of peace talks with Russia even without a ceasefire in place, only 28 percent are in favour of halting Ukrainian military action without NATO security guarantees.
Forty percent of respondents believe NATO should provide such guarantees.
'Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine'
The findings suggest strong public support for the principle: “Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.”
Three quarters, 74 percent, believe the United States and Russia should not negotiate an end to the war without Ukraine's involvement.
More than half (54 percent) say that European countries, including Poland, should be part of those talks.
Although only 12 percent of respondents believe a Russian military attack on Poland is likely, the perception of Russian hybrid threats remains high.
Over half (53 percent) believe that Russian disinformation and propaganda are present in the Polish media.
While a full-scale invasion is seen as improbable, Poles remain wary of Moscow's influence and strategic intentions.
Most Poles (67 percent) believe that Poland should provide military support to any NATO ally under attack, and 57 percent believe the United States would uphold its alliance commitments and defend Poland if necessary.
Concerns about Poland's own military readiness are widespread.
Nearly half (49 percent) say the country's military equipment is insufficient, and half support increasing defence spending. A majority (61 percent) believe the current size of Poland’s armed forces is inadequate.
Most respondents favour preparing the civilian population for emergencies, with 72 percent backing mandatory crisis training and 69 percent supporting military or civil defence training for youth in schools.
While 42 percent support the return of compulsory military service for men, only 23 percent of respondents say they would volunteer for military duty in case of war.
Between 20 and 30 percent of respondents were undecided on many questions, which researchers say may reflect war fatigue or a lack of reliable information on these complex issues.
The study was conducted using a combination of computer-assisted web interviews (CAWI) and telephone interviews (CATI), and three focus groups stratified by age, gender, and place of residence. The sample size for the quantitative component was 1,000 adults aged 18 and over.
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Source: Fundacja ''Stand With Ukraine''