Poland–Russia relations
Introduction


**Poland–Russia relations** (, ) have a long and often turbulent history, dating to the [late Middle Ages](/wiki/Late_Middle_Ages "Late Middle Ages"). Over centuries, there have been several [Polish–Russian Wars](/wiki/Polish%E2%80%93Russian_Wars "Polish–Russian Wars"), with [Poland once occupying Moscow](/wiki/Polish%E2%80%93Muscovite_War_%281609%E2%80%931618%29%23Poles_in_Moscow_%281610%29 "Polish–Muscovite War (1609–1618)#Poles in Moscow (1610)") and later [Russia controlling much of Poland in the 19th](/wiki/Russian_Partition "Russian Partition") as well as [in the 20th century](/wiki/Polish_People%27s_Republic "Polish People's Republic"), leading to strained relations and multiple Polish attempts at re\-acquiring independence. Polish–Russian relations entered a new phase following the [fall of communism](/wiki/Revolutions_of_1989 "Revolutions of 1989"), with relations warming under Soviet Premier [Mikhail Gorbachev](/wiki/Mikhail_Gorbachev "Mikhail Gorbachev") and later Russian President [Boris Yeltsin](/wiki/Boris_Yeltsin "Boris Yeltsin"). Relations began worsening considerably as a result of the [2008 Russian invasion of Georgia](/wiki/Russian_invasion_of_Georgia "Russian invasion of Georgia"), and later the [2014 annexation of Crimea](/wiki/Annexation_of_Crimea_by_the_Russian_Federation "Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation") and especially the [2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine](/wiki/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine "Russian invasion of Ukraine"). Relations between the Polish and Russian governments have become extremely unfriendly, and according to a 2022 poll, only 2% of Poles view Russia positively, the lowest number in the world among countries polled.


What are the implications of strained relations between Poland and Russia for regional stability?