DISINFO: Poland's militaristic rhetoric and Russophobic sentiments prevent improvement of relations with Russia
SUMMARY
Warsaw is trying to play a role of some kind of vanguard of NATO in the East by repeating the slogans of “deterrence of aggressive actions” of Russia against Poland. Militaristic rhetoric and spread of Russophobic sentiments do not contribute to the development of good Polish-Russian relations, which have been very tense for a long time.
RESPONSE
This message is a part of the Kremlin’s widespread narrative about Russophobic Poland. The Kremlin-controlled media regularly accuses the political elites of Poland of Russophobia and the implementation of anti-Russian policies. Within this narrative, the “Russophobic” policies of Poland are often explained by the claim that the United States fully controls the domestic and foreign policy of this country (presenting Poland as an American “puppet-state” or a “banana republic”). The Polish authorities do not spread Russophobic attitudes and do not use “militaristic rhetoric”. The main current Russia-related concerns of Poland are a result of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia's armed military aggression in Ukraine. The Polish government shows its full support to solving the Russia-Ukraine conflict and complete restoration of territorial integrity of Ukraine. In the situation of the ongoing Russian military aggression against Ukraine, Poland supports the deployment of NATO troops in this country as this step increases its domestic security – two-thirds of the Poles have a positive opinion about NATO's activities. See other examples of similar messages claiming that constant intimidation with Russia is used to make Poland economically dependent on the USA, the Polish authorities created an insane hysteria of intimidation with Russia, used for the needs of domestic politics and the national security strategy of Poland is a manifestation of traditional Russophobia of the Polish authorities.