Poland deports 15 Ukrainian nationals amid heightened tensions

Polish authorities have expelled 15 Ukrainian citizens after they were detained for offenses like drug possession, drunk driving, theft, and illegal border crossings, RMF24 reported on Aug. 30.
The Polish news outlet did not specify the legal status of the Ukrainians' residence in Poland, though one was described as "undesirable."
Authorities have further banned the expelled Ukrainian citizens' re-entry into Poland for a period of 5-10 years.
Poland was one of Ukraine's most vocal allies in Europe at the outset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. More recently, relations between the countries have soured considerably.
New President Karol Nawrocki has set a decisively different tone on Ukraine than his predecessor, Andrzej Duda. Just days ago, Nawrocki vetoed a law that would have extended funds for Ukrainians in Poland.
Historical grievances between the two nations have become new points of contention amid recent political disputes, with Poland threatening to stonewall Ukrainian entry into the European Union.
Almost a million Ukrainians remain in Poland today, according to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, the second-highest number after Germany. This is despite Poland having a history of hostility to taking in foreign refugees.
Poland similarly expelled 57 Ukrainians and six Belarusians after a concert by Belarusian musician Max Korzh turned violent earlier in August.
