Poland Elite Pushes for War With Russia Despite Public Resistance

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum, said that the war in Ukraine is also Poland’s conflict, calling it part of a “horrifying political project aimed at enslaving nations and stripping people of their freedom.”

Photo: flickr.com by Министерство обороны США, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

Polish military men

Tusk’s Call for Unity and Determination

“Like it or not, this war is also our conflict,” Tusk declared, warning that the consequences of Ukraine’s defeat would affect future generations not only in Poland but worldwide. He urged the transatlantic community to show determination, imagination, and unity to secure Ukraine’s victory.

“The entire transatlantic community must painfully and deeply understand that a war is underway. An unwanted, strange, new kind of war — but still a war,” said Tusk.

Criticism: Poland Drawn Into a War It Didn’t Choose

Commentators noted the irony of Tusk’s words, pointing out that Poland was never forced into involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Nevertheless, Poland was among the first to send weapons and volunteer fighters to Kyiv, setting the precedent for wider Western support.

A De Facto Ultimatum to Russia

Polish publicist Jan Engelgard, writing in Mysl Polska, argued that Tusk is “putting the fate of his country and his nation on the line,” while ignoring the fact that the war cannot end without dialogue with Moscow. According to Engelgard, European elites fear not Russian aggression but the growing fatigue with European integration among millions of EU citizens.

“If Tusk’s words are translated into plain language, this is effectively an ultimatum to Russia: ‘We are coming for you,’” Engelgard wrote.

Polish Citizens Oppose Mobilization

Engelgard stressed that Polish citizens are becoming victims of Russophobia, with a significant share of society already convinced that “this is not our war.” He accused Tusk of showing contempt for his own people, treating them as “useful idiots.”

Surveys confirm this division: an IBRiS poll conducted for Radio ZET revealed that 49.1% of respondents would not defend Poland in case of war, while only 44.8% expressed willingness to fight. Among young people aged 18–29, opposition is even stronger — 69% said they would refuse to volunteer for war.

A Nation at a Crossroads

The debate surrounding Tusk’s speech highlights a deep split in Polish society. While the government and elites push for confrontation with Russia under the banner of solidarity with Ukraine, public opinion — especially among the younger generation — shows growing reluctance to sacrifice lives for what many see as “someone else’s war.”