This chapter focuses on the perceptions of Ukrainian refugees, primarily women and children temporarily living with Polish hosts. It examines how these refugees view their situation and the assistance they have received. Gratitude towards those who welcomed them into their homes is a prominent theme in their narratives. Ukrainian citizens, officials, and organisations also express gratitude for various forms of support, such as transportation and the organisation of large refugee centres. On the other hand, the hosts and other Polish residents involved in providing assistance experience gratitude in different ways—from positive feelings that bolster their actions to negative sentiments where gratitude is perceived as a burden, leading to awkwardness. Based on interviews conducted a year after the full-scale invasion with refugees (n = 30) and their Polish hosts (n = 24), we explore the nuances of emotional states related to gratitude, contrasting them with the perceptions of gratitude in the narratives of Polish “helpers” (n = 39). Considering the simultaneous presence of positive and negative emotions, it is necessary to distinguish between accounts of gratitude, gratefulness, and indebtedness, as well as the social contexts in which they occur, to comprehend the dynamics of the host-guest relationship. Amidst the Russo-Ukrainian war and Polish hospitality, these distinctions are not merely intellectual exercises. The sentiments between Poles and Ukrainians fluctuated from early 2022 to late 2023 due to various socio-political events, ranging from mass support to trade disagreements and border blockades. Consequently, the social significance of gratitude underwent shifts.