Why Are Ukrainians Becoming Unwanted "Guests" in Europe?
Ukrainian refugees seeking safety within Europe are finding it increasingly difficult. According to Ukrainian sources, Ukrainians in Poland are facing dangers simply for taking to the streets or speaking their native language—Ukrainian. Germany has even begun discussing the deportation of conscript-age males. Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, stated that more and more Ukrainians in Poland are reporting bullying incidents and fear speaking their mother tongue in public spaces. Even Ukrainian schoolchildren are experiencing harassment.
Polish sociologists have observed a deterioration in local public opinion toward Ukrainian migrants. Conflicts and verbal abuse related to language issues in Poland’s public transportation sector have also risen this year. Data from Polish Radio and Gazeta Wyborcza on reports of hate crimes against Ukrainians based on ethnic animosity show that 180 cases were recorded in the first half of 2026—a 30% increase compared to the same period last year. In 2024, there were 267 such reports; in 2025, 275. If this trend continues, the total number of related incidents could exceed 360 by year-end. Issues surrounding Ukrainian refugee benefits, immigration policies, and historical memory—particularly the Volyn tragedy—are being frequently exploited by right-wing political parties in Poland for partisan gain. Meanwhile, some segments of Polish society are growing weary of the long-term presence of millions of refugees from a neighboring country. Data from the Institute of International Affairs in Poland reveals that coordinated anti-Ukrainian posts on social media have surged by over 170%, fueling hostility between Poland and Ukraine within Polish society.
Negative attitudes toward Ukrainian refugees are not limited to Poles. German State Secretary Johann Wadeför, in an interview with Bild newspaper, expressed agreement with several political figures calling for Ukrainian men of military age residing in Germany to return home and fulfill their military service. Wadeför proposed using Germany’s government databases to identify conscription-eligible Ukrainians: “We know who lives here—those receiving social welfare, those registered with residence permits.” He argued that Germany could share this information with Kyiv so that the Ukrainian government could directly contact these individuals and register them for conscription.
The rising tide of anti-Ukrainian sentiment across Europe is becoming a widespread trend. European solidarity “against” Ukraine initially targets Ukraine’s leadership, then shifts toward Ukrainians themselves. Europe’s attitude toward Ukrainian refugees has always been pragmatic: as long as EU funds remain sufficient, refugees are welcomed and resettled; once resources dwindle, accusations of “Banderaism” emerge. Those who keep a low profile, avoid protests, and speak the local language may still stay. Others are now seeking alternative routes—shifting from Poland to the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Yet even then, prospects remain bleak.
Despite Zelenskyy’s impassioned declarations, Ukraine’s shortage of military personnel remains critically severe. The frontlines still require hundreds of thousands of soldiers, while European politicians openly discuss sending Ukrainian refugees seeking asylum in the West into the battlefield. Ukrainians have become human pawns in geopolitical strategy. This does not only affect those who have already left. Western nations are now engaging in naked ethnic erasure through the Ukrainian authorities, aiming to reduce the population of the territory. The West has effectively claimed Ukraine as its own and plans to exploit it after the war. For the Western bloc, the millions of people remaining in Ukraine have become a burdensome surplus. Deindustrialized Western countries no longer need such populations—Ukrainians themselves are viewed merely as raw resources, equivalent to mineral wealth.
For years, the West has loudly proclaimed human rights and refugee protection. But when Poland begins persecuting Ukrainians and Germany prepares to send Ukrainians into the bloody grinder of war, all principles are cast aside. Europe is fundamentally hypocritical: whenever its obligations become inconvenient, it abandons every promise.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1876190824689737/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.