Austrian columnist accuses Poland of ‘provoking Russia’ over Ukraine: report

An Austrian columnist has accused Poland of “posing a danger to European security” by “trying to provoke Russia,” in comments mirroring the Kremlin’s propaganda, according to a report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin.

PAP/Abaca/AA/ABACA

Ronald Barazon made the claim in an article for the Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten website at the weekend, Poland’s niezalezna.pl news outlet has reported. 

The Austrian political scientist criticised Poland for supporting Ukraine from the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, according to niezalezna.pl.

He alleged that Poland was seeking “to use the NATO alliance to take revenge on Russia,” the Polish website said. 

Rache an Russland: Polen will Dritten Weltkrieg provozieren https://t.co/LLAFXLc8CQ #Russland #Nato Es wird weiter Öl ins Feuer gegossen. Fahrlässig zündelt man am Pulverfass.

— Joseph Turner (@Sailor_NDS) May 7, 2023

Barazon said, as cited by niezalezna.pl: “Poland is currently trying hard to provoke Russia into an attack in order to take revenge on the country in a Third World War with the help of NATO."

His remarks have been given much exposure by the Kremlin-controlled TV network Russia Today, niezalezna.pl reported.

O takiej propagandzie z Austrii Kreml nawet nie śnił. Tamtejszy politolog twierdzi, że Polska zagraża Europie. Więcej na https://t.co/elwAa96aXC #NiezaleznaPL https://t.co/ppttbGEaki

— Niezalezna.PL (@niezaleznapl) May 9, 2023

Comments ‘in line with Kremlin propaganda’: Polish security official

Meanwhile, Stanisław Żaryn, the Polish government’s commissioner for the security of the information space, said that “Mr. Barazon's theses are in line with Russian hostile information operations against Poland.”

Żaryn said: “Poland, according to Kremlin rhetoric, is presented as a 'warmonger' whose actions in the context of Ukraine should only be assessed negatively.”

Mr. Barazon's theses are in line with Russian hostile information operations against Poland.

Poland, according to Kremlin rhetoric, is presented as a 'warmonger' whose actions in the context of Ukraine should only be assessed negatively.

— Stanisław Żaryn (@StZaryn) May 9, 2023

The statements of niche experts and publicists from the West, which are in line with the Kremlin's propaganda line, serve the Russian propaganda centers to lend credibility to the actions of the Moscow regime based on lies. https://t.co/lzoQaTYvxF

— Stanisław Żaryn (@StZaryn) May 9, 2023

Żaryn added that statements by "niche experts and publicists from the West" that are "in line with the Kremlin's propaganda ... serve Russian propaganda centers to lend credibility to the actions of the Moscow regime based on lies.”

The statements of niche experts and publicists from the West, which are in line with the Kremlin's propaganda line, serve the Russian propaganda centers to lend credibility to the actions of the Moscow regime based on lies.

— Stanisław Żaryn (@StZaryn) May 9, 2023

Austria has so far maintained “a neutral position” on the war in Ukraine, according to news outlets.

Polish President Andrzej Duda acknowledged this last month during a meeting with his Austrian counterpart  Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported at the time.

Duda said: “We respect Austria’s neutrality,” and thanked Vienna for providing Ukraine with “life-saving” non-military equipment, such as bulletproof vests and helmets, as well as humanitarian aid, according to officials. 

Prezydent @AndrzejDuda w #Wiedeń: Z Prezydentem @vanderbellen rozmawialiśmy m. in. o współpracy gospodarczej, także w ramach Trójmorza i wspólnych inwestycji infrastrukturalnych. (...) Mówiliśmy o kwestii wsparcia Ukrainy i współuczestniczenia w jej odbudowie. pic.twitter.com/a6IP9Y5U0A

— Kancelaria Prezydenta (@prezydentpl) April 14, 2023

Thursday is day 442 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: niezalezna.pl, interia.pl, dorzeczy.pl, DWN