Poland’s centrist government deployed riot police to secure the Constitutional Tribunal, prompting accusations of a “coup d’état” from right‑wing foes. Russia, through former President Dmitri Medvedev, amplified claims of a constitutional coup, while hard‑right figures like Marine Le Pen, Nigel Farage and Geert Wilders joined the attacks on Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Tusk blamed Russian bots for spreading false narratives of police brutality. Moscow and Europe’s EU‑skeptic right aim to destabilize Poland’s pro‑Ukraine stance, following setbacks in Hungary and Serbia. Meanwhile, Serbia’s new leadership signals a shift, with its central bank shutting down Alta Bank linked to Russian finance and arresting its owners over a $400 million fraud. Russian officials warn Poland faces a “collapse and tragedy” similar to Ukraine’s 2014 crisis, targeting the government with disinformation and sabotage.
Dmitri Medvedev and Donald Tusk are central to the unfolding drama, as is Bogdan Swieczkowski, the suspended chief justice. The Constitutional Tribunal remains the flashpoint, with Russia and its allies intensifying pressure on Warsaw’s pro‑European, pro‑Ukraine agenda.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing