Polish President’s Remarks Misinterpreted by Russian Media
Russian media and pro-Russian social media accounts have manipulated statements from Polish President Andrzej Duda’s interview, falsely claiming that Warsaw plans to close the airport in Rzeszów, a key transit point for Western aid to Ukraine. Some reports even suggest threats to halt assistance to Ukraine, reports 24brussels.
The Center for Countering Disinformation has refuted this misleading interpretation of the Polish President’s words. These assertions misrepresent Duda’s comments, as he did not indicate any intention to close the airport but referred to hypothetical cases from the past to illustrate Poland’s significance as a transit nation.
Duda stated, “We could have closed the airport, but we didn’t. We could have said we are repairing it and then close it,” emphasizing that the comments were purely illustrative and not indicative of any real threat.
The publication Onet quoted Duda’s interview with Otwarta Konserva, Nowy Ład, and Klub Jagielloński, where he remarked, “If someone doesn’t like something, we close it and goodbye, yes, we will repair it.” This example reflects Duda’s critical stance rather than an actual threat, yet Russian media and Telegram channels reframed his words to align with their narrative, circulating distorted interpretations widely.
The Rzeszów airport is currently undergoing reconstruction but remains operational, with no intention to halt the transit of aid to Ukraine. In the interview, Duda explicitly denied any plans to block assistance to Ukraine.
“This is not about negotiations with Ukraine. This needs to be discussed with our allies — with Germany, with the Americans,” emphasized Duda, indicating that his comments addressed allied relations rather than Ukraine-Poland dynamics.
By spreading such disinformation, Russian propaganda aims to sow distrust between Ukraine and Poland and create a false impression of alleged “fatigue” among allies regarding Ukraine. Therefore, it is crucial to seek original sources and ensure accuracy, rather than relying on superficial translations, the Center for Countering Disinformation stressed.
Notably, President Zelensky reacted to Duda’s remarks presented as threats by expressing disbelief in the Russian media’s interpretation. Ukraine appreciates Warsaw’s decision to support the establishment of a European Reconstruction Fund for Ukraine, as stated by Zelensky during a conference in Rome focused on Ukraine’s recovery.
Additionally, Ukraine is interested in cooperation with Poland under the SAFE program and is keen on joint projects related to armaments production and procurement, Zelensky added.
