Lech Wałęsa in a series of interviews presented a dual assessment of Donald Trump's foreign policy towards Russia and Vladimir Putin. According to the former president of Poland, the current American leader could be perceived as a 'traitor' or a 'Moscow lackey' due to apparent subservience to the Kremlin. However, Wałęsa allows for the possibility that this is a manifestation of a 'phenomenal' and 'extraordinarily intelligent' strategy aimed at avoiding nuclear war by not backing Russia into a corner. Such a game would allegedly buy time and force Europe to organize itself independently against the threat from Moscow.

Dichotomous Assessment of Trump

Lech Wałęsa presents two possible interpretations of Donald Trump's behavior: as a betrayal of the West through subservience to Russia, or as a brilliant, strategic game aimed at preventing nuclear escalation.

Strategy to Avoid Nuclear War

According to Wałęsa, by pretending to be Putin's friend, Trump avoids direct confrontation between the USA and Russia, which – in his view – could force the Russian leader to use nuclear weapons.

Forcing European Responsibility

The second goal of such an alleged strategy would be to force Europe to organize itself independently against Russia, without relying on direct US involvement.

Wałęsa's Regrets

In conversations, Wałęsa mentioned his 'regrets' related to the failure of a secret plan for the simultaneous accession of Poland and Ukraine to NATO and the EU before he left office.

Former Polish President Lech Wałęsa in interviews given to AFP and Polish media on February 24-25, 2026, presented a controversial, two-pronged analysis of Donald Trump's policy towards Russia. His widely quoted statements reveal a deep divide in the assessment of the American leader. On one hand, Wałęsa admits that Trump 'today appears subservient to Russia, simply a traitor'. This image of a 'Moscow lackey' stems from his perceived acquiescence to Vladimir Putin's actions and rhetoric. On the other hand, the Nobel laureate allows for a much more complex interpretation. Trump could be an 'extraordinarily intelligent, responsible politician', conducting a 'very Russian and very intelligent game'. According to Wałęsa, its essence is consciously avoiding drawing the United States into an open, anti-Putin front. „Trump sait que si les États-Unis rejoignent le chœur antipoutinien, Poutine n'aura pas d'autre choix et devra utiliser l'arme atomique” (Trump knows that if the United States joins the anti-Putin chorus, Putin will have no other choice and will have to use the atomic weapon.) — Lech Wałęsa. This 'friend' game has, in the former president's view, two fundamental goals. First, to buy time, pushing back the specter of direct nuclear conflict between the great powers. Second, to force allies in Europe to take on greater responsibility for their own security. 'It forces Europe to organize against Putin, without the United States. Because if the United States enters the game, there will be nuclear war,' Wałęsa explained. Lech Wałęsa, as the leader of 'Solidarity' and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate from 1983, has for decades voiced opinions on international affairs, often assuming the role of a commentator with unconventional views. His assessments of contemporary politics are often controversial and far from the mainstream of expert debates. These statements appeared in the context of the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In an older article from February 24 (Wprost), Wałęsa also made a personal reflection, revealing that after the fall of communism he planned the simultaneous accession of Poland and Ukraine to NATO and the European Union, which he kept secret. 'He lost the election and everything fell apart,' he lamented, adding: 'I should have acted faster.' Importantly, Wałęsa does not definitively resolve which of the two presented visions of Trump is true, admitting in an interview with TOK FM: 'So you can look at this matter in two ways (...) a traitor or an extraordinarily intelligent man. To this day, I myself don't know.'

Mentioned People

  • Lech Wałęsa — Former President of Poland, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, author of the statements
  • Donald Trump — President of the United States, whose policy towards Russia is being commented on
  • Vladimir Putin — President of Russia, whose actions serve as a reference point in Wałęsa's analysis