Poland has called for restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats in the European Union and tighter controls on the entry of Russian citizens amid recent Russian hybrid attacks in Europe. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski made the statement at a joint press conference with his German and French counterparts after a meeting in the German city of Weimar.
The Polish minister linked the new measures to a series of incidents that Warsaw describes as Russia’s hybrid war against the EU. These include railway sabotage in Poland, arson attacks, provocations, and the incident at Leipzig airport, for which Germany has blamed Russia.
“We do not accept the unpunished testing of our borders and hostile actions on our territories. There is no consent for arson, attacks on the railway, further murders, or provocations,” Sikorski said.
He stressed that a problem facing one ally is a problem for the entire alliance. Poland summoned Russian Ambassador Georgy Mikhno to the Foreign Ministry to express “firm condemnation of state terrorism by the Russian Federation.”
Warsaw has already restricted the movement of Russian diplomats on its territory and closed all Russian consulates in the country. Poland is now urging EU partners to extend this approach across the entire Schengen area: diplomats should remain in the country of their accreditation and not enjoy freedom of movement across Europe. Sikorski also called for tighter controls on the entry of Russian citizens, including mandatory use of biometric passports.
According to the Polish minister, a significant part of Russia’s diplomatic corps in Europe carries out tasks incompatible with diplomatic status. Russia, he said, remains one of the most serious threats to the security of Europe and the international order.
