In May 2025, Poles will elect a new president. This is more than just a rotation of power — it is a test of the maturity of Polish democracy and a moment of truth for the entire region. In the conditions of the war in Ukraine, the growing geopolitical tension and the transformation of the European Union, the leader who will emerge in Warsaw will play not the last role in determining the future not only of his country, but also of its neighbors, in particular Ukraine.
Poland has always been a key partner of Kyiv in the war with Russia, providing military aid, protecting hundreds of thousands of refugees, and lobbying Ukraine’s interests in Brussels. However, over the past two years, shadows have appeared in bilateral relations — from disputes over grain to differences in the vision of history, in particular the Volyn tragedy. Which of the candidates is ready to return the dialogue to a constructive direction, and who would rather play on national emotions?
We offer you to familiarize yourself with the political portraits of the main contenders for the presidential seat in Poland. View their views on Ukraine, Russia, the EU and the USA — without embellishments and political makeup. After all, in geopolitics, as in politics, it is important not only who leads, but also where.
Poland is temporarily “at the helm” of the EU
Against the background of the election campaign, Poland plays another key role — it will preside over the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2025. This is not just another change of chairman in the European bureaucratic machine. This is a chance for Warsaw to shape the agenda of the Union, to promote its own initiatives, in particular in the field of security, defense and European enlargement policy.
Ukraine perceived Poland’s presidency as a window of opportunity. After all, Warsaw has announced that supporting Kyiv, strengthening European defense and fighting against Russian influence remain at the center of its priorities. It is also important that the presidency falls at a time when the EU is actively discussing the future security architecture, the reform of the Union itself, and the conditions for further expansion — issues in which the voice of Poland, as a neighbor of Ukraine, sounds particularly powerful.
At the same time, the EU presidency is also a tool of political capital. In the election campaign, Polish politicians have already started to use this role as an argument: they say, this is proof of our ability to influence large-scale processes, to represent Poland at the highest level. And it will depend on who wins in May, whether Warsaw will maintain its current course of an active pro-Ukrainian position, or whether Poland will return to an internally oriented policy with a focus on national interests.
Rafal Tshaskovsky: a pro-Western liberal with cautious optimism about Ukraine
If there is someone in Polish politics who consistently steers towards a liberal, open and European Poland, it is Rafal Tshaskovskyi. A former minister, MEP and current mayor of Warsaw, Tszaskowski is the main hope of the liberal camp, in particular the “Civic Coalition”, for victory in the 2025 presidential elections.
His political philosophy is an alliance with the West, strengthening democracy and respect for human rights. And although he is not overly emotional on the issues of Ukraine, like some of his conservative competitors, his rhetoric is clearly transparent: Poland must remain a support for Kyiv — particularly in matters of security, humanitarian support, and European integration. “We must unconditionally support Ukraine. This is not only a moral obligation, it is a matter of our security“, Tshaskovsky stressed back in 2022 after the missile attack on Polish Przewodów, when many emotions appeared regarding the Ukrainian air defense systems. His position at that time was restrained, but clear: to prevent a split between the allies.
Unlike politicians like Donald Tusk, who conduct direct negotiations at the highest level, Tshaskovsky uses his status as a popular leader among mayors for public diplomacy: he participates in international forums, meets with Ukrainian colleagues, supports solidarity initiatives. Under his leadership, Warsaw became a symbol of welcoming Ukrainian refugees and a city that actively communicates support for Ukraine in the war.
Tshaskovsky’s position regarding the USA and Trump is also clear: he belongs to the political class in Europe that sees Biden as an ally, and Trump’s return to power as a threat to transatlantic unity. It is not by chance that the word “coordination” often comes up in his public speeches, both in relations with Washington and Brussels.
Regarding Russia, Tshaskovsky is convinced a supporter hard line Even during his tenure in the European Parliament, he advocated sanctions, calling Russia “the main destabilizer of the European continent.” And today he is supports policy of NATO expansion and sees Ukraine as an important partner in the European security system.
Of course, Tsaskowski cannot be called a “Ukrainophile” in the style of the Polish right-wing times of 2022. But his moderate, responsible position is what many politicians today lack. And it is she who can become the guarantee of a stable Polish-Ukrainian partnership in the coming years.
Andrzej Duda and the legacy of PiS: will the center-right vector survive?
Andrzej Duda, who has been president of Poland since 2015, is completing his second term and, according to the Constitution, cannot run for a third term. During his presidency, Duda was tight connected with the “Law and Justice” party (PiS), which determined the country’s political course in the last decade.
PiS is known for its conservative policies, including judicial reforms that have drawn criticism from the European Union, as well as a hard line on migration and social issues. Under the leadership of Duda, Poland also actively supported Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, providing humanitarian and military aid, as well as accepting Ukrainian refugees.
However, recently there have been signs of a change in this course. In particular, in 2024, the Polish authorities announced the termination of some benefits for Ukrainian refugees, including free access to medicine, education and the labor market. This is the solution caused concerns in Ukraine and among the international community.
In addition, appeared message about Duda’s possible alliance with the far-right Confederacy party, known for its anti-Ukrainian rhetoric. Such an alliance may indicate a further shift in Poland towards nationalism and Euroscepticism, which may have serious consequences for Ukrainian-Polish relations.
In the context of the upcoming presidential elections in Poland, it is important to monitor who will succeed Duda and whether the current course of the country will be continued. The choice of a new leader can determine not only Poland’s domestic policy, but also its role in supporting Ukraine and stability in the region.
Karol Nawrocki: a political historian with an emphasis on memory, identity and geopolitical choice
Karol Nawrocki is a candidate for the presidency of Poland, who was nominated by the opposition party “Law and Justice”. Historian by profession, Doctor of Humanities, from 2021 he heads the Institute of National Remembrance — one of the key institutions shaping Polish memory policy. His candidacy was a clear signal: PiS is betting on a historical-value agenda, in which Poland’s place in Europe is defined not only through a security or economic prism, but also through the interpretation of the past.
Navrotskyi is known for his tough, consistent position on the subject of the Volyn tragedy. In his public statements, he has repeatedly emphasized that the exhumation of Polish victims is a key moral duty that cannot be postponed. In October 2024, he characterized the position of the Ukrainian authorities on this issue as “indecent”, emphasizing that historical justice, in his opinion, should be a condition for the European integration of Ukraine. Such statements caused a stir and criticism from Ukrainian politicians and historians, who warn against the politicization of the topic.
Navrotsky’s use of the historical term “Eastern Lesser Poland” in relation to the western Ukrainian lands also caused a wave of debate. For part of the Polish audience, it is an expression of cultural and historical ties, for Ukrainians, it is a term that can be perceived as revisionist.
At the same time, Navrotskyi is not only a historian, but also a specialist in management and strategic management who has received international business education. In his pre-election theses, there is a noticeable attempt to combine a valuable worldview with a pragmatic approach to state management. He defines the election not only as a competition of political programs, but as a moment of choosing a path: preservation of identity, historical responsibility, vision of Poland’s role in a changing world.
Ahead is a public debate with the main competitor, Rafal Tshaskovsky. They can become not only a stage of the presidential campaign, but also a moment of national dialogue about how Poland makes sense of its past — and where it is headed in the future.
Slavomir Mentzen: an economist who turned radicalism into a political strategy
Slawomir Mentzen is a Polish economist, entrepreneur and politician, who represents the far-right coalition “Confederation”. He earned a doctorate in economics from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Mentzen also owns the Browar Mentzen brewery and a tax consulting firm. In his political career, Mentzen is known for his radical views. In 2019, he formulated the so-called “Five Points of Confederation”: “We don’t want Jews, homosexuals, abortions, taxes and the European UnionThese statements caused widespread criticism both in Poland and abroad.
In February 2025, Mentzen visited Lviv, where he recorded a video near the monument to Stepan Bandera, calling him a “terrorist” and accusing Ukrainians of “honoring criminals.” This act caused outrage in Ukraine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned Mentzen’s provocative statements.
Despite the controversial statements, Menzen remains one of the leaders of the presidential race in Poland. According to a poll conducted in March 2025, he is in third place with 21% of voter support, behind only Rafal Tshaskovsky and Karol Navrotsky.
