DISINFO: Poland plans to impose control on Ukraine's agriculture and other sectors of economy
SUMMARY
Poland plans not only to send “peacekeepers” to the West of Ukraine but also to impose control on the most promising sectors of its economy, first and foremost agriculture.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets, representing Poland as a state with imperial aims and ambitions. This claim was made in the context of Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.
In reality, this claim is unsubstantiated and unfounded. Poland does not aim to impose control over Ukraine’s agriculture or inflict damage on any other sectors of Ukraine’s economy. On the contrary, Poland is providing Ukraine with economic and military assistance. Warsaw is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland.
This claim was made in relation to Ukrainian President Zelensky submitting a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) on the status and assistance to Polish citizens in Ukraine. This draft is similar to the act endorsed by Poland’s Sejm (parliament) in relation to Ukrainians on 12 March 2022. The act regulates a number of issues concerning the refugees’ stay in Poland and allows for favourable tax treatment of humanitarian aid expenditures incurred by corporations.
See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.
See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poles are stoking nationalist sentiment in Ukraine in order to annex Lviv, that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to it, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states, that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia, that Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia, that Poland plans to establish control over its historical lands in Ukraine.