DISINFO: Poland is eyeing to annex western Ukraine and Belarus
SUMMARY
Poland continues serious discussions about the 1939 borders. In case Poland expands at the expense of Ukraine’s territory, Belarus’s borders with Poland and NATO will be longer. This will push Polish nationalists to take further steps. Poles consider Lviv and cities of western Belarus their own. Poland is strengthening its military, and Polish provocations against Belarus are possible.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives, challenging Ukraine’s statehood and presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions.
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 the annexation of these territories or that it is actually President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land due to his “Polish origin”.
In fact, the claims regarding the seizure of Ukraine and plans to attack Belarus by the Poles are false and groundless. 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.
Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via Sputnik on 15 November 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU.