Newsweek, led by Michał Szadkowski, presented a cover showing President Karol Nawrocki expelling a child wrapped in a Ukrainian flag. It is accompanied by the headline: ‘Do you want to hunt them down?‘. “The fact that this is false is one thing, but unfortunately it fits into the Russian plan to stir social unrest in Poland,” stated on social media Jakub Szymczuk, photographer of the former President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda.
The Newsweek cover featured a photomontage showing President Karol Nawrocki with an outstretched hand and pointing finger. Next to him, a girl wrapped in a Ukrainian flag was depicted.
‘Do you want to hunt them down?‘ reads the slogan on the cover.
The weekly magazine’s cover, directed by Michał Szadkowski, sparked strong outrage on social media.
“This cover will not harm the president, it will not harm PiS, and in fact it would change little in the Polish debate. Unfortunately, it is very dangerous in the context of the hybrid war playing out here. For a week, tens of thousands of Ukrainians, completely uninterested in the intricacies of Polish politics, will see every day the image of the Polish president expelling Ukrainian children from Poland. The fact that this is false is one thing, but unfortunately it fits into the Russian plan to stir social unrest in Poland,” wrote Jakub Szymczuk, visual communication specialist and photographer of the former President Andrzej Duda.
“Absolute irresponsibility,” stated journalist Piotr Gursztyn.
“If I count correctly, this is already the fourth Newsweek cover aimed at the candidate, and later President, Karol Nawrocki. Each one is more extreme than the last. We can be sure there will be more,” noted Monika Szatyńska-Luft.
Voices are emerging asking whether this is a reason to pursue legal action against the magazine.
Czy nie czas na działanie prawników? @prezydentpl https://t.co/kgkyobwKbJ
— Andrea Speranza 🇵🇱 (@Speranza7Andrea) September 7, 2025
On August 25, 2025, President Karol Nawrocki vetoed a bill presented to him regarding aid for Ukrainian citizens. He expressed the expectation that the 800 Plus benefit would only be available to working refugees from Ukraine and announced that he would submit his own draft on the matter.
Earlier, proposals to limit the benefit for Ukrainian citizens were made by politicians, including from the Civic Coalition.