Poland’s Jablonski says Russia is 'willing to attack weak spot'
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Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki said Western nations must stop appeasing the Russian leader and turning a blind eye as it has done on many other occasions.
In 2007, Putin announced his aspirations of dismantling the post-cold war order in Europe and the following year, he launched an attack on Georgia.
In 2014, six years later, Russia invaded and subsequently annexed Crimea.
Now, eight years later, Russia has launched its bloodiest part of Putin’s plan with its invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Morawiecki accused the West of acting “like a frog in water brought gently to the boil”, which he says hasn’t reacted even “as Russia has added the heat”.
In 1999, Russia launched an attack on the Chechen capital of Grozny and seized the city through brutal force, causing the UN to declare it the most destroyed city on Earth in 2003.
Speaking of the assault, the Polish leader told the Economist: “In 1999 when Russian troops razed Grozny to the ground and murdered tens of thousands of Chechens on Mr Putin’s orders, the West turned a blind eye saying that it was Russia’s internal business. When Russian troops entered Georgia, the West remained passive again.
“This new version of appeasement could not have resulted in anything other than conflict.
“That is because the mechanisms of totalitarianism remain the same now as they were seven decades ago. And the mechanisms of appeasement remain the same, too.”
He added: “Russia has committed atrocities and, unless it is stopped, images such as those seen in Bucha, Irpin and Mariupol will appear more often”.
According to the PM, Poland has been warning countries against appeasing Putin for over a decade but was met with suspicion by some EU leaders.
He said: “Many European politicians, when they left politics, have been more interested in getting jobs with Russian energy companies than in helping us”.
Europe has imposed a list of sanctions on Moscow since it began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, but the Polish Prime Minister believes it is “moving too slowly”.
He spoke about how his country has helped Ukraine during the crisis including taking in around 2.8 million Ukrainian refugees in two months.
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He said “the whole country is helping” and urged the EU to do the same and provide direct economic help and follow the example of individual volunteers that have come from all over the world to help.
Mr Morawiecki said: “Reallocating unused funds does not change anything.
“What is needed is a serious systemic solution. And the only way to achieve that is if the EU lives up to its values.
“The choice could hardly be simpler: either you support Ukraine or you support Russia. There is no middle ground.
“Those responsible for torture and war crimes should be cut off. Those who have not learned from the history of appeasement are doomed to repeat it.”
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