Poland is biggest threat to security in Europe, says Austrian journalist

Poland is currently the biggest obstacle to the return of peace and security to Europe, an Austrian political scientist and journalist has claimed.

Ronald Barazon, the former editor-in-chief of Austria’s Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper, penned his remarks for the German business news portal Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten.

He criticized the attitude of the Polish authorities, which from the first minutes of the Russian aggression against Ukraine in February of last year, have offered unwavering military and financial support to Kyiv, and insisted that nothing but a crushing Russian defeat will be acceptable as a solution.

“Poland is doing all it can to provoke a Russian attack on it, in order to settle old scores against Russia with the aid of NATO in a Third World War,” Barazon wrote.

“Poland is the greatest barrier to the return of security to Europe because of its provocative behavior toward Russia,” he added.

Polish President Andrzej Duda visited the Austrian capital of Vienna last month. During his press conference with President Alexander van der Bellen, Duda revealed that the two heads of state had discussed assistance for Ukraine and joint action on the reconstruction of the country after the end of the war. He said that military support was something “natural” given the circumstances. 

The Polish president also commented on the stance taken by Austria, one that is markedly different from that of Poland.

Duda said that Poland respected Austria’s neutrality, which it declared in 1955. He thanked the Austrians for their assistance with equipment designed to protect lives such as helmets, flak jackets, and humanitarian aid.