Przemysław Czarnek, appointed by Jarosław Kaczyński as the Law and Justice party's (PiS) candidate for prime minister, provoked a significant controversy during his speech at a party convention in Kraków. He criticized former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, calling him 'an empty head,' and made disparaging remarks about the LGBT community, targeting a proposed law concerning the status of close persons in relationships. Czarnek also expressed demands for respect from Ukraine’s authorities and President Volodymyr Zelensky, asserting that Ukraine owes its survival to Poland and the PiS government, and emphasized the need for partnership rather than perceived insolence from Ukrainian leadership.

In the wake of his remarks, Ukrainian media quickly responded, describing Czarnek as one of the most anti-Ukrainian politicians affiliated with PiS. Publications like 'Ukrainska Pravda' highlighted his history of anti-Ukrainian rhetoric in both his previous role as the Minister of Education and during his tenure as the Lublin Voivode. This characterization points to a deeper tension within Polish-Ukrainian relations, which have already been strained due to various political and social issues, including governance and mutual respect between the nations.