Medvedev made the threats an extensive article published in the Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta on Nov. 2. In his customary fashion, he echoed Russian propaganda themes, including claims regarding Polish interests in Ukraine’s western regions and accusations of “Polish Russophobia.”
He also raised the specter of a military conflict involving Russia, Belarus, and Poland.
In his pseudo-historical account, Medvedev said, “history has warned the Poles on multiple occasions that their ambitions, no matter how ambitious, could lead to the collapse of the entire Polish state.”
Polish State Secretary Stanisław Żaryn responded by characterizing Medvedev’s aggressive article as emblematic of the Kremlin’s approach, describing it as a “demonstration of hatred filled with threats against Poland and NATO.”
“It is noteworthy that this article comes at a time when Russia is engaging with Germany on energy cooperation and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, portraying itself as a nation ready for peaceful negotiations and the cessation of hostilities in the ongoing Ukraine conflict,” Żaryn said, quoted by Polish outlet RFM24 on Nov. 3.
Żaryn added that Medvedev’s attacks could be seen as “an attempt to reshape Europe and bring it back into economic and political cooperation with a country widely regarded as an aggressor.”