When speaking about recent events in Ukraine, the head of Polish diplomacy referred to his recent visit to Kyiv (8 April 2021) which he paid amid growing Russian military pressure.

Minister Rau called for the EU to take concrete steps to support Ukraine and prevent further escalation of tension, and prepare possible response scenarios should Russia decide to escalate. He also noted the need for the EU to follow consistently the policy of non-recognition of illegal annexation of Crimea.

In his discussion with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Minister Rau expressed his solidarity with Kyiv and support for the inviolability of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. He also reassured Minister Kuleba about his support for Ukraine’s Crimean Platform initiative (the inaugural summit of which will be attended by President Andrzej Duda), and asked about the fate of Crimean Tatars under Russian occupation.

When discussing the situation in Russia, the head of Polish diplomacy joined other member states’ appeals for the EU to take actions on behalf of Alexei Navalny, a prisoner of penal colony, whose health condition has been deteriorating rapidly. He also voiced his solidarity with the Czech Republic which expelled a group of Russian diplomats as the result of investigation into an explosion of local ammunition depot in 2014, and their alleged involvement in the incident.

As for the developments in Belarus, Minister Rau underlined local authorities’ continued repressions against civil society, including Polish minority, and called for the EU’s solidarity on the issue. The chief of Polish Foreign Ministry also recalled that the European Commission is due to present an economic support plan for democratic Belarus as a concrete signal for its society, which is fighting for a democratic change.

During the remote meeting on Monday, the ministers also discussed current situation in Ethiopia and agreed the EU needs to exert more pressure on local authorities to deescalate the conflict, also in terms of accessing budget support. The head of Polish diplomacy voiced his concern over the scale of human rights violations in the Tigray region and pointed out the need for the Ethiopian authorities to provide access to vital humanitarian aid. He also underlined that an independent investigation should be launched into the possible crimes against civilians and human rights violations.

 

MFA Press Office

Photo: Tymon Markowski / MFA