WARSAW, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The proportion of Poles opposed to Ukraine joining the European Union (EU) has risen to a record 40 percent, according to a survey released Tuesday by Poland's Public Opinion Research Center (CBOS).

Teenagers look at the Dnipro River as a man fishes nearby in Kiev on July 28, 2026. (File photo: AFP)

CBOS said public attitudes had undergone a "very large change unfavorable to Ukraine" since its previous survey in 2023, although supporters of Ukraine's accession still outnumbered opponents.

Opposition to Ukraine's EU membership rose from 17 percent in 2023 to 40 percent this year, while the proportion favoring Ukraine's accession as soon as possible fell from 18 percent to 9 percent.

Poland introduced special measures following the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, giving eligible Ukrainians access to employment, public healthcare and social benefits.

Public support for Ukrainian refugees has since declined. Another CBOS poll released on July 17 showed that 52 percent of respondents opposed accepting more Ukrainian refugees, compared with 42 percent who were in favor. It marked the first time opposition had outweighed support since the survey began.

Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in June 2022, and accession negotiations were formally launched at the first EU-Ukraine Intergovernmental Conference in June 2024.