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Disinfo: Warsaw Pact prevented global conflict, NATO escalates the situation along the Russian borders

Summary

The Warsaw Pact prevented the outbreak of global conflict during the Cold War. After its dissolution in 1991, the world has become unipolar, which negatively impacts international security.
After the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and NATO enlargement to the east, this buffer [Warsaw Pact] had disappeared. As a consequence of this situation, we see the recent escalations realised by NATO along the Western borders of Russia.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative involving historical revisionism about the Cold War and presentation of NATO as a threat to global peace because it has an aggressive anti-Russian agenda.

The Cold War was a direct result of aggressive actions of the Stalinist USSR in Eastern and Central Europe as well as the Middle East (Turkey, Iran). The incorporation of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe into the Warsaw Pact was carried out under conditions of military occupation, one-party dictatorship and the violent suppression of dissent.

NATO exercises and military deployments are not directed against Russia – or any other country. NATO is a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. The claim that NATO is encircling or threatening Russia is one of the most often encountered disinformation narratives about this organisation.

NATO is regularly updating the military requirements for civilian infrastructure, at a time when there are increased challenges to security. Following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and amid emerging security challenges in the Middle East and North Africa in 2014, NATO leaders at the Wales Summit adopted the Readiness Action Plan, a comprehensive package of enhanced collective defence and deterrent measures designed to ensure the transatlantic alliance could respond swiftly and firmly to changes in its security environment.

See several other anti-NATO narratives such as NATO provoking Russia; NATO is fully subordinated to the USA; Eastern European countries are NATO “hostages” (Baltic states, Moldova, Poland).

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publication/media

Sputnik Poland (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 197
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 14/05/2020
  • Language/target audience: Polish
  • Country: Russia, US
  • Keywords: security threat, EU/NATO enlargement, Encircling Russia, USSR, Anti-Russian, Cold War, NATO

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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Ukraine and the Baltic states want to present the USSR as an “absolute evil” in WWII

The West wants to minimise the role of the USSR in the victory over Nazism. This policy is determined by Poland and the Baltic states. Currently, a new trend in the presentation of WWII has emerged – it presents as “absolute evil” not only the Nazis but also, the USSR. This strategy of turning the USSR in an “absolute evil” emerged in Eastern Europe – primarily, in Ukraine and the Baltic states.

May 16, 2020
Disproof

This message is part of the Kremlin’s policy of historical revisionism – it accuses the Baltic states, Ukraine and Poland in “falsification and re-writing” of history and imposition of their historical views on the EU. Read more here.

The claim that Ukraine, the Baltic states and Poland determine the view of the EU countries on WWII history is a distorted. The EU countries are sovereign states, which take their own decisions regarding the perception of WWII history. Ukraine, the Baltic states and Poland cannot impose decisions on the EU and its institutions.

The National Security Strategy of Poland is a manifestation of traditional Russophobia of the Polish authorities

The new National Security Strategy of Poland is a continuation of a traditional Russophobic course of the Polish authorities. It shows their determined and permanent orientation on the United States and manifests their Russophobia. This situation is connected with active use of nationalism in the ideology of Poland – nationalism requires the presence of an enemy. It is important for the Polish authorities to have an enemy as they build their entire domestic policy on this fact. This document underlines the loyalty of Poland to the USA as its main European ally.

May 16, 2020
Disproof

This message is a part of the widespread Kremlin’s narrative about the Russophobic Poland - the Kremlin-controlled media regularly accuses the political elites of Poland in Russophobia and 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”).

Poland is a sovereign state, which develops its own national security strategy, which is based on the national interests of Poland.

The Polish National Security Strategy promotes the American interests in Eastern and Central Europe

The new Polish National Security Strategy is composed in such a way that an unprepared reader would start to feel that the very existence of the Russian Federation is a threat to the world.
The content of this document shows that Poland was obliged to defend the interests of the United States in Eastern and Central Europe, expecting the USA to take responsibility for the security of Poland.

May 16, 2020
Disproof

A common pro-Kremlin narrative on “lost sovereignty” - in the case of Poland, this country is often presented as a “puppet-state” of the United States, which fully controls the domestic and foreign policy of this country.

Poland is a sovereign state, which develops its own national security strategy, which is based on the national interests of Poland.