Putin has not enjoyed good press in Poland over the years. During the almost 10 years of his presidency, Polish-Russian relations have been full of unpleasant incidents. One of the most significant chills in relations appeared after Poland helped mediate the Ukrainian election crisis in 2004, also called the "Orange Revolution." Russia saw this as meddling in its sphere of influence.
This has been posited as the reason for Putin's remarkably cold reception of then-President Aleksander Kwaśniewski during a ceremony observing the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII, in May 2005. Putin also infuriated the Polish public at the time by failing to mention in his speech the considerable role of Polish troops in the fight against Nazi Germany.
In reply, Wprost weekly launched a multi-media campaign called "Putinokio," in which the Russian President was depicted as the fabled wooden boy Pinocchio, with an elongated nose. The campaign drew international attention.
The rows between Poland and Russia haven't all been over symbols, though. The ban on Polish meat and rumors of Russian attempts to manipulate the Polish energy sector have raised concerns throughout the EU. Russia also strongly opposes the placement of the US anti-missile shield on Polish territory.
Meanwhile, Russia looks to Putin as a strong leader who is restoring the country to glory after years of crisis. Regardless of Poland's attempts to improve Polish-Russian relations, they will mean little without the tangible reciprocation on part of Russia.
