Poland’s former Foreign Affairs Minister Radosław Sikorski sparked outrage on Monday by affirming that Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) government considered a partition of Ukraine in the first ten days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1617508979189456898

The excentric Civic Platform (PO) MEP was giving an interview with Radio ZET during which he was asked about Poland’s stance toward its southeastern neighbour in the midst of Moscow’s aggression.  

When asked if the Law and Justice government considered a partition of Ukraine, he replied that it “had a moment of hesitation in the first 10 days of the war when we didn’t know how it would unfold […] If not for Zelensky’s heroism and Western aid, it could have gone either way.”

The unexpected statement quickly sparked outrage. Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki appealed to the Civic Platform to distance itself from Sikorski, whose claims are “no different from Russian propaganda.”

“The former foreign affairs minister must choose his words more wisely. I expect a retraction of those shameful statements,” wrote Morawiecki on social media.

Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, referred to Sikorski’s words as an „official confirmation” of Moscow’s belief that Poland wanted to partition Ukraine. 

It’s worth underlining that already a few days after the start of the large-scale invasion by Russia, Poland enacted several measures to support Ukrainian refugees, who have been granted rights and ensured access to healthcare, education, and various social benefits.

Image: Twitter @sikorskiradek

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen