Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar made the remarks in an interview published Friday by RBK-Ukraine.
"Most Polish politicians say that Poland has for a long time been in a state of hybrid war with Russia", he said. "There is no other enemy. Political forces understand this perfectly".
That perception, he added, has convinced Poles the danger "is not virtual, but real".
Bodnar called Poland one of the most vocal Western voices warning against Russia. He pointed to rising defence spending, army modernisation and Poland's leading share of GDP spent on defence among NATO allies.
New military units are being formed, he said, and territorial defence is expanding.
Strained ties
Relations between Kyiv and Warsaw have been tested lately. Bodnar called the past few months "probably one of the biggest crises" in bilateral ties, saying its effects "have not disappeared", even as tensions ease.
He said roughly two million Ukrainians living in Poland have become a source of friction, sharpened by campaigning ahead of Poland's 2027 parliamentary election. He cited attacks on Ukrainians and harsher political rhetoric over alleged privileges, farm imports and support for Ukraine's war effort — friction he said Russian propaganda works to inflame.
Citing Polish police figures, Bodnar said recorded attacks or acts of aggression against Ukrainians rose from 267 in 2024 to 275 in 2025, with 180 already logged in the first half of 2026 alone — roughly a 30% increase. Prosecutors opened 182 related proceedings in that same six-month period, he said.
He also noted the number of Ukrainians registered for temporary protection in Poland fell by about 40,000 over the past six months, which some read as a sign of departures.
Asked how Warsaw and Kyiv should manage their ties, Bodnar said: "Before making any decision, one must take into account one's own national interest as well as the sensitivities of the foreign partner".
Despite the strains, he said, Poles understand how closely their own security is tied to Ukraine's and continue to view Russia as the enemy.
Historical disputes
Bodnar said negative views of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) still dominate in Poland, and called for fresh historical research using archives from both sides. He argued crimes against Ukrainians — including wartime "pacification" campaigns and Operation Vistula — remain underexamined in Poland.
He said Ukraine must also investigate what happened in Volhynia. "Crimes against civilians are war crimes", he said. "We must condemn crimes against civilians regardless of the nationality of the perpetrators. Such crimes have no justification".
Bodnar predicted Ukraine will stay central to Polish politics through the 2027 election campaign, driven by history, the presence of Ukrainian refugees, and economic and security concerns — and, for some politicians, as a way to raise their profile.
"Our state has gained invaluable experience — often paid for in the blood of our citizens — in surviving a modern war, standing up to a stronger enemy and achieving a technological leap", he said. "This is also a much-needed tool for Poland today, and a platform for close cooperation".
(jh)
Source: PAP