End of war in Ukraine may trigger surge in international organized crime - Duda
Polish President Andrzej Duda believes that the end of Russia's war against Ukraine could trigger a surge in international organized crime.
He said this in an interview with the Financial Times, Censor.NET reports.
The Polish leader expressed concern that after the cessation of hostilities, crime will spread across the border from Ukraine to Poland and will also affect Western Europe and the United States.
Duda compared the situation with Russia in the early 1990s when banditry and violence with firearms were gaining momentum among veterans of the decade-long Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
"Remember the times when the Soviet Union collapsed, and how much the level of organized crime increased in Western Europe, as well as in the United States," the Polish president said.
He noted that the "surge of organized crime in Western Europe and the United States" was influenced by the return of Soviet troops.
Duda also said that Ukraine, if a peace agreement is reached, will need to be assisted in rebuilding its economy and "maintaining order and security inside the country."
"Just imagine the situation when thousands of people who came from the front line return home. Those people who are fighting with Russia, many of them will have mental problems," he added.
Also, according to Duda, many will suffer from PTSD and when they return to their hometowns and villages, they "will find destroyed houses, destroyed plants, destroyed factories, no jobs and no prospects."
