Two politicians with opposing visions for Europe and relations with Ukraine advance to the second round of Poland’s presidential election — and the Kremlin is already in play, UkrInform reports.
According to official results, liberal Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski won the first round with 31.3%, followed closely by conservative historian Karol Nawrocki (29.5%), the candidate representing the opposition Law and Justice party. The runoff will take place on 1 June. The margin between them is just 1.8%, or 357,000 votes.
But the real battle goes beyond polling stations. According to Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR), Russia has intensified its massive “Doppelganger” disinformation campaign amid the Polish elections, spreading fakes on social media and through spoofed “mirror” sites of Western media. The goal: sow discord, undermine trust in Ukraine, and fracture European support.
Karol Nawrocki, while supporting military aid to Ukraine, vows to block its accession to the EU and NATO until the exhumation of Polish victims of the Volyn tragedy is completed. His critics argue he panders to the far right by stoking tensions over Ukrainian refugees. His slogan: “Poland First,” Reuters reports.
In 2025, Europe is experiencing the rise of far-right populist parties. This can be explained by economic pressures, societal tensions, and Russia’s war in Ukraine, which affects the continent. Most of these parties promote reduction of aid for Kyiv, strethgning ties with Russia, and breaking away from the EU and NATO that form united front against Moscow’s threats.
The Volyn tragedy (1943-1944) remains a painful chapter in Ukrainian-Polish relations, marked by the mass killing of approximately 30,000 Poles by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and violence against 10,000 Ukrainians. Poland regards these events as genocide, while Ukraine emphasizes the complex motives behind the Ukrainian Army’s actions.
In 2025, Kyiv allowed Warsaw to begin the exhumation of victims of the tragedy. The Polish side stated that such a high level of expertise had never been conducted before, according to RFE/RL.
In contrast, Trzaskowski calls for unity and preserving good neighborly relations. His choice is Europe, solidarity, and resisting authoritarian threats.
As mayor of Warsaw, he has actively organized humanitarian aid for Ukrainian cities and refugees, emphasizing continued support but with conditions that aid be directed toward Ukrainians who live, work, and pay taxes in Poland.
Voter turnout reached a record-high 67.3% — Poles clearly feel the weight of this decision. And as they prepare for the second round, Moscow is trying to choose for them.
