Opposition to EU enlargement, especially concerning Ukraine’s accession, frequently emerges in European countries. Russia capitalizes on these sentiments to amplify its destabilizing influence within Europe and interfere in the internal politics of EU member states. Consequently, support for Ukraine’s European integration risks becoming fragmented and weakened.
A successful and European-aligned Ukraine presents an existential threat to the Putin regime. For this reason, Moscow has dedicated significant resources over many years to disseminate misinformation aimed at discrediting Ukraine and its people within European media.
Elections are particularly sensitive periods within the information environment. These periods see an accelerated pace and heightened intensity of news coverage and media narratives, particularly on socially and politically relevant issues, making them vulnerable targets for disinformation campaigns.
The first round of the presidential election in Poland – a country whose support is crucial for Ukraine’s successful resistance to Russian aggression and continued progress along the European path – will take place soon, on May 18.
The elections in Poland may present an opportunity for Moscow to discredit the idea of Ukraine’s European integration through various lenses – historical memory, current economic hardships, or fears of war. Russia may attempt to insert anti-Ukrainian narratives into the Polish information space in order to drive a wedge between the two nations.
That’s why we decided to discuss the key aspects of the upcoming presidential elections in Poland – in the context of disinformation threats and the dynamics of Polish-Ukrainian relations – with Łukasz Adamski, political analyst and Deputy Director of the Juliusz Mieroszewski Centre for Dialogue.
The interview was compiled with the support of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation within the framework «European Renaissance of Ukraine» project. Its content is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation.