Disinfo: Poland wants to annex Western Ukraine and Minsk

Summary

The statements of Polish politicians indicate intention to occupy the western territories of Ukraine. Polish rhetoric shows that they talk about expanding their territory - they want to regain control over lost territories. These plans contradict NATO’s goals, so most NATO countries will not support Poland. Poland wants to restore its great power status by regaining Western Ukraine and Minsk. The actions of Warsaw are not reasonable, yet the US and NATO are doing nothing to stop the likely entry of Polish troops into Ukraine.

Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative challenging Ukraine’s statehood and presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions. Apart from smearing Poland, the aim is also to deflect attention away from Russia's invation of Ukraine.

This disinformation message has adopted several different and sometimes contradictory forms, including allegations that Poland wants either to create a puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine or annex these territories or that it is President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land due to his “Polish origin”.

Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.

See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to them, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, 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.

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Sputnik Poland
  • Reported in: Issue 326
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 06/01/2023
  • Article language(s) Polish
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, US
  • Keywords: Imperialism/colonialism, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration, NATO, Anti-Russian, illegal annexation
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