Overview

• President Karol Nawrocki blocked a law that would have prolonged child benefits and temporary protection for Ukrainians until March 2026, with the current system expiring at September’s end.
• Nawrocki says family payments and free healthcare should apply only to Ukrainians working in Poland, and he proposed equating promotion of Stepan Bandera with Nazi and communist symbols in the criminal code.
• Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski warned the veto would end Poland-funded Starlink for Ukraine from October, but the presidential chancellery said financing continues under existing law and the president’s draft preserves it.
• The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk lacks the supermajority needed to override the veto, pointing to a likely standoff and potential negotiations over new legislation.
• Poland hosts roughly 1.0–1.5 million Ukrainians, with studies cited by officials indicating economic benefits even as public attitudes have cooled toward extending broad support.