Polish Reactions to Russian Aggression Against Ukraine

Abstract The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine shattered the post-Cold War security architecture and destroyed the sense of security of the entire continent. Poland responded immediately with political and military support for Ukraine as well as with efforts to provide a safe shelter for millions of Ukrainian civilians fleeing the country. Our analysis focuses on how the established features of Polish foreign policy guided the responses and what frames were employed in reaction to the war by governing and opposition actors in Poland. We demonstrate that Polish reaction resulted from Warsaw’s established role as an advocate for Ukraine’s integration with Western structures, especially the EU. In addition to that, the key long-standing elements of Polish foreign policy, such as strong Atlanticism, proved stable and served as a stabilizing factor in responding to the heightened threat to the continental security. We highlight strategic choices to strengthen allied response within NATO and the EU and mobilize international public opinion to help Ukraine. Furthermore, we demonstrate how the internal, highly politicized debate on European integration was silenced and domestic political conflict mitigated.