Moscow voices displeasure with Poland's hostile behavior with diplomat
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The Russian diplomat in Poland was faced with hostile behavior from crowds during Victory Day ceremony.
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Russia's Ambassador to Poland Sergey Andreev, right, speaks to reporters in front of a memorial site to Red Army soldiers in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday May 9, 2023. (AP)
Moscow will convey its displeasure to Poland over hostile behavior toward Russian diplomats at a memorial cemetery on May 9, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"The Polish Foreign Ministry was informed about the ceremony planned by the embassy, but the Polish authorities did not prevent the provocative actions of the 'protesters.' The Polish side will receive our strong protest," said the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The Russian ambassador to Poland was not allowed to lay flowers at the memorial cemetery to the Soviet liberators in Warsaw. pic.twitter.com/NgIg0jid4w
— Spriter (@Spriter99880) May 9, 2023
Moreover, the statement read "We consider this action as another manifestation of an unfriendly attitude on the part of the Polish side and, above all, an insult to the memory of more than 600,000 Soviet soldiers who died during the liberation of Poland from German occupation," noting that the incident demonstrates "the hypocrisy of Warsaw's policy in assessing the events of World War II and attempts to forget the role of our people in saving the countries of Europe enslaved by Nazi Germany."
"Such policy of the Polish authorities will not be left without a proper reaction," the ministry concluded.
Earlier in the day, an angry crowd obstructed the route of Russian Ambassador to Poland Sergey Andreev as he headed to a memorial cemetery in Warsaw to lay flowers on Victory Day.
The crowd demanded that the ambassador take off the St. George ribbon off his jacket. Andreev was unable to put a wreath at the cemetery and was forced to leave the memorial.
Poland may end up 'joining' Ukraine war: Polish Ambassador to France
The Polish Ambassador to France, Jan Emeryk Rosciszewski, pointed out on March 20 that Poland may end up "joining" the war in Ukraine, should Kiev fail to protect its "independence".
In an interview for the broadcaster LCI, Rosciszewski blamed Russia for the ongoing war, claiming that it was "not NATO, not Poland, not France and not Slovakia" that was fueling international tensions, but Russia.
The Polish diplomat considered that the situation now is "either Ukraine will successfully defend its independence, or we will be forced, in any case, to join this conflict."
"Otherwise, our principal values, which are the basis of our civilization and our culture, will be in fundamental danger, so we will have no choice," he indicated.
Rosciszewski's shocking statement prompted the Polish mission in France to elaborate further on the remarks.
On May 4th, the Embassy released a message saying the Ambassador's words were not actually "an announcement of Poland’s direct involvement in the conflict, but only a warning against the consequences of Ukraine's defeat."
"Listening carefully to the entire conversation allows us to understand that there was no announcement of Poland’s direct involvement in the conflict, but only a warning against the consequences of Ukraine's defeat – the possibility of Russia attacking or dragging into the war more Central European countries – the Baltic states and Poland,” the statement read.
However, top Russian senator Alexey Pushkov questioned Warsaw's presumed resolve to fight Moscow on its own.
"A very presumptuous statement by the Polish ambassador in Paris. For the first time, an official representative of Poland said what its leaders have long had on their minds. However, all the ‘courage’ of the Poles is based on the support of the United States. Is Warsaw sure that Washington is ready to fight?" Pushkov wrote on Telegram.
It is noteworthy that Poland has been one of the most vocal backers of Kiev in the war, providing it with a variety of military hardware, including tanks and artillery pieces.
Russia revealed that a considerable number of Polish mercenaries have been directly participating in the war against Russia.
Read more: Russia slams Poland seizure of high school building as 'illegal'
