A Confederation rally was held today outside the Sejm building, targeting the government’s policy towards Ukraine. New Hope leader Sławomir Mentzen, together with other party politicians, demanded that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky „return” 100 billion zlotys that Poland allegedly gave to Ukraine as aid. The protest drew the attention of the media and internet users, sparking heated discussions online.
A banner visible in photos from the event read: „Zelensky! Give back our 100 billion!”. Participants, waving Polish flags, criticized the „submissive” attitude of the Polish government towards Kyiv. A picture of the Ukrainian president was placed behind the banner, underlining the anti-Ukrainian tone of the demonstration. As seen in a photo from the protest, a group of Confederation politicians stood on a podium, addressing the crowd, although turnout was not impressive. According to some comments on social media, only a few dozen people showed up.
In his speech, Sławomir Mentzen stressed: „We are not servants of the Ukrainian nation! We want Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression, but we do not want to be suckers who let themselves be played. Polish interests come first!”. The politician referred to a recent corruption scandal in Ukraine, in which close associates of Zelensky were allegedly involved in siphoning off 100 million dollars from the energy sector. „It cannot be that a corruption scandal erupts in Ukraine, Zelensky’s closest associates steal 100 million dollars, and right after that Sikorski comes out and says he will give 100 million dollars for weapons!” – said Mentzen, quoted in a post on the X platform published by WolnośćTV.
The corruption scandal in question broke out in November 2025. Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies accused close associates of President Zelensky, including his former business partner Tymur Mindich, of siphoning off around 100 million dollars from a state-owned energy company. The case led to the resignation of two ministers and sanctions against Mindich, who fled to Israel. As a result of the scandal, Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, resigned at that time. The affair shook the Ukrainian political scene and undermined trust in Zelensky’s administration, especially in the context of the ongoing war with Russia.
Meanwhile, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced at the end of November that Poland would provide 100 million dollars for the purchase of American weapons for Ukraine. The decision was part of the PURL (Polish-Ukrainian Resilience Loan) initiative and a response to Russian acts of sabotage, including attacks on Polish railway infrastructure. Sikorski stressed that this is „a million dollars for every centimeter of Polish tracks blown up by Russian saboteurs”. Poland, together with Norway and Germany, committed to jointly supporting Ukraine with 500 million dollars in weapons.
The Confederation protest is part of a broader debate on Polish aid to Ukraine. Since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, Poland has provided Ukraine with billions of zlotys in military, humanitarian and economic assistance. The total sum is estimated to possibly exceed 100 billion zlotys, which explains the slogan on the banner. Critics, such as Mentzen, argue that Poland is being „robbed” and should prioritize its own interests, especially given corruption on the Ukrainian side. Supporters of the government, however, argue that support for Ukraine is an investment in Poland’s security, as Kyiv serves as a buffer against Russian aggression.
