DISINFO: Russophobic Poland and the Baltics may start a conflict without Western consent
SUMMARY
Poland and the Baltic states may go for an insane escalation. These countries are Russophobic fanatics who can go for escalation even without the consent of their Western masters. France, Germany and the USA do not want any direct conflict, but the fanatic Poland and the Baltic states are driven by hysterical hatred towards Russia. However, the Old Europe does not want a conflict.
RESPONSE
Poland and the Baltic states are repeatedly presented by pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets as an aggressive anti-Russian NATO ‘outpost’, which allegedly poses a security threat to Russia. This is in line with how pro-Kremlin outlets portray NATO and Western countries as aggressive towards Russia. See our article All roads lead to Poland.
Poland is a sovereign state, which shapes its own foreign and domestic policies. The political, economic and military relations between Poland and the United States have a mutually beneficial character. The claim that Poland is a devoted vassal that constantly reaffirms its loyalty to the American master is unfounded. Read more about Polish-American relations here, here and here.
Since the outbreak of the Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2014, the Polish authorities have repeatedly appealed to NATO and the USA to increase their military presence at NATO’s Eastern Flank. The American military presence in Poland protects this country from possible Russian hostilities and improves the national security of this country. The Polish society supports the NATO membership of their country (82%).
The Polish authorities perceive Russia as a security threat because of their aggressive actions, in particular in Ukraine and all over Eastern Europe.
The 2020 National Security Strategy of Poland states that the most serious security threat for the country is the neo-imperial policy of the authorities of the Russian Federation, pursued by means of military force (aggression against Georgia, illegal annexation of Crimea and military actions in Eastern Ukraine).
The Baltic states have clear security concerns regarding Moscow due to Russian politicians voicing explicit threats of invasion, similar to the events in 1940 when the former Soviet Union occupied Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Lithuania's National Threat Assessment 2023 highlights Russia's war against Ukraine, sliding towards totalitarianism and strengthening of its armed forces. The assessment of Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service of 2023 notes that Russia’s strategic objective has not changed, which is to subjugate Ukraine and thereby decisively reshape European security architecture. The annual report by the Latvian State Security Service 2022 emphasised that Russia's war in Ukraine has changed the global security architecture confirming the need to continuously improve the national security system.
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 Polish authorities want to use the Army to fight domestic riots, not Russia.