“Come to your senses while there is still time. I warn, with the best intentions. What may be foolishness, mistake, or stubbornness in times of peace becomes treason in times of war,” said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Parliament.
His words referred to the hybrid war Russia is waging against Poland, including the recent act of sabotage on railway tracks. According to prosecutors, the attack was carried out by two Russian agents.
At the same time, a coordinated Russian disinformation campaign is spreading online—one in which Polish citizens and politicians are unknowingly taking part in.
Moscow’s strategy centres on promoting the lie that in reality it is Ukraine who is responsible for the sabotage. Despite the clear evidence that both suspects fled to Belarus, reside in Russia, and one has been convicted in Ukraine for similar crimes, this narrative still resonates with some Polish citizens.
However, the Kremlin’s objectives go much further. The aim is not only to turn Poland against Ukraine, but also to damage Poland’s relationship with the European Union and to undermine support for the country’s NATO membership.
“Blowing up railway tracks, destroying infrastructure, and the extensive disinformation and propaganda efforts accompanying these actions, including calls for partisanship in Poland and the assault on our ambassador, are all recent developments. Russia is desperate to weaken us because Poland is currently too strong to be attacked directly,” Tusk emphasised.
He then outlined several fundamental principles for every Polish politician to follow:
- Do not repeat Russian propaganda.
- Do not undermine trust in the Polish military or security services, and do not obstruct their work.
- Do not weaken the state and its cohesion through legislative sabotage, the modern equivalent of liberum veto.
- Do not undermine European unity. Stand with the West, not with Russia.
- Stand with Ukraine in its war against Russia—without any “buts.” Every “but” serves Russia’s interests and harms our own security.
“In times of war, there is no ‘but.’ You are either for Poland or against it. When it comes to national security in the face of the Russian threat, we must stand united—or we will cease to exist,” the Prime Minister concluded.
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