The Polish foreign ministry has recalled the country’s ambassador to NATO, Tomasz Szatkowski, without the consent of President Andrzej Duda.

This move has drawn accusations from conservatives that the Tusk government is undermining Poland’s position ahead of a crucial NATO summit in Washington. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has also dismissed other ambassadors without the President’s approval.

Ministry spokesman Paweł Wroński confirmed that Szatkowski had been asked to return to Poland, as his mission was deemed to have expired on 31 May. However, Presidential aide Mieszko Pawlak stated that Szatkowski remains in post and that President Duda has no intention of recalling him.

This development follows FM Sikorski’s March announcement that over 50 ambassadors would be completing their missions. According to Polish convention, ambassadors are recalled and appointed by the head of state. Sources close to President Duda revealed his refusal to remove Poland’s ambassador to NATO in the lead-up to the July summit in Washington. 

They also claimed the government had made no effort to reach a consensus, instead presenting its own candidate for the NATO post and expecting presidential compliance. The government has proposed Jacek Najder, who served as ambassador to NATO from 2011 to 2016 during the previous Tusk government, as Szatkowski’s replacement. Najder was also deputy foreign minister in the previous Tusk government. 

President Duda has publicly stated that he will not recall Ambassador Szatkowski just weeks before the NATO summit, arguing that such a move would disrupt preparations. 

Image: Robert Suchy/wikimedia/

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen