Fake claim: A French general allegedly accuses Ukraine and NATO of starting the war
Posts are circulating on social media, including in the Polish segment of Facebook, featuring alleged statements by “French General Jacques Guilmain”, in which he describes NATO as a “perpetual aggressor” (citing the wars in Serbia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Afghanistan) and claims that it was Ukraine, not Putin, that violated the Minsk Agreements. These posts have attracted thousands of shares and comments, with users endorsing anti-Western narratives and blaming the United States and banks for all wars. However, this is a fake that was debunked by the Polish fact-checking organization Demagog.
Key findings of the debunk:
- Who is the “general”? Jacques Guilmain is not a general but a self-described retired lieutenant colonel and former French Air Force pilot. He writes books and articles in which he regularly promotes pro-Russian propaganda, including claims about “anti-Putin hysteria” and the false assertion that NATO promised not to expand eastward.
- The photo is incorrect: The image used in the posts does not depict Guilmain but rather the actual General Pierre de Villiers, a former senior NATO official. His photograph can easily be found in French media outlets (for example, Le Figaro).
- The quotations originate from opinion articles: The excerpts were taken from Guilmain’s own articles published in 2022 on questionable websites, where he was incorrectly described as a general. They form part of a broader campaign aimed at shifting responsibility for Russian aggression onto Ukraine and the West.
Russia bears full responsibility for the war in Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale invasion launched in 2022. Violations of the Minsk Agreements occurred on both sides, but Moscow played the key role by financing separatists and obstructing OSCE monitoring. NATO is a defensive alliance, and its actions in past conflicts were often carried out under a UN mandate or in response to aggression.
Attempts to shift responsibility onto NATO or Ukraine by attributing such claims to “authoritative” military officials are a manipulative technique used to justify aggression and mislead the public. Jacques Guilmain is not a general, and his statements constitute propaganda.