The Russian president has been compared to the most notorious dictators of the 20th century (Picture: EPA/Rex)
The Polish prime minister has ditched the diplomatic restraint and described Vladimir Putin as ‘more dangerous’ than Hitler or Stalin.
Mateusz Morawiecki said the Russian president has weapons and cultural tools at his fingertips which weren’t available to 20th century dictators.
The Kremlin’s propaganda machine has ‘infected the internet’, he said, calling for the West to take a tougher stance against Russia’s influence around the world.
In comments which go much further than other Western leaders, he described Mr Putin’s worldview is the equivalent of communism and Naziism.
Writing in The Telegraph, the PM denounced the ‘Russkiy Mir’ concept, which encompasses Russian language, culture and the Eastern Orthodox church.
Russian nationalists like Mr Putin consider it a counter-balance to Western values and it has been used a justification for hardliners who want to reconstitute territory previously part of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union.
Mr Morawiecki wrote support for Ukraine is ‘not enough’, calling on the West to ‘root out this monstrous new ideology entirely’.
The war in Ukraine has been likened to the imperial conquests launched by totalitarian regimes during the 21st century (Picture: EPA)
Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki said Mr Putin has resurrected ‘the cursed phantoms of the 20th century’ (Picture: EPA)
He wrote: ‘Just as Germany was once subject to denazification, today the only chance for Russia and the civilised world is “deputinisation”.
‘If we do not engage in this task immediately, we will not only lose Ukraine, we will lose our soul and our freedom and sovereignty, as well.
‘Because Russia will not stop at Kyiv. She has set out on a long march towards the West and it’s up to us to decide where we stop her.’
Boris Johnson echoed his words during a visit to Sweden to sign a defence agreement today, some of his strongest comments since the crisis began.
He pointed to the fact the meeting took place the same week as Europe marked the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Mr Johnson said: ‘This week, many of us have been paying tribute to the brave men and women who secured victory and peace in Europe 77 years ago.
‘So, it’s a sad irony that we’ve been forced to discuss how best to fortify our shared defences against the empty conceit of a 21st century tyrant.’
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