Adam Michnik: Putin wants entire Ukraine, and then Baltic States and Poland

The West does not fully understand the gravity of situation.

In addition to putting the entire Ukraine under control, Russian president Vladimir Putin wants to extend his influence to the Baltic States and Poland.

Adam Michnik, a former Polish dissident, the founder of Poland’s largest newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, told about that in an interview to Novoe vremya magazine.

“Putin does not need Donetsk. No, he wants the entire Ukraine, and then the entire Baltic States and Poland. And he does not need to carry out annexation for that. He does not mind Ukraine’s independence; he simply wants its president to be a Yanukovych Number 2. And he wants the same in Poland. Stalin also said: we want an independent democratic Poland, but we remember how the things turned out in the end,” the dissenter said.

At the same time, Michnik admitted that the West does not realize the gravity of situation so far.

As said by him, an adequate response to Putin’s actions by the West would be delivering weapons to Ukraine.

“Rephrasing the sentence Si vis pacem, para bellum, ["If you wish peace, prepare for war"], it could be said in this case: If you wish peace – send weapons,” he said.

Commenting on the question that such a decision could make Putin angry, Michnik objected that this position is based upon unjustified fears of Germany.

“He invaded the Crimea and Donbas without any provocations. Germany fears that, and I understand why: two world wars had started from Germany already, so they are taking a cautious mind. But fear is a bad counsellor,” Michnik noted.