WARSAW, Sept 12 (Askume) – Poland also called on Ukraine to be allowed to fire Western-made missiles at Russia as it hosted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken for talks in Warsaw on Thursday.
Kiev has been pressing the Biden administration and other Western governments to authorize remote strikes, saying it would help counter persistent Russian airstrikes on Ukraine.
“We must continue to provide (Ukraine) with advanced air defense systems… and lift restrictions on the use of long-range weapons,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at a joint press conference with Blinken.
Blinken ended his European trip by saying he had extensive discussions with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv on Wednesday about how they view the war and their needs, but declined to say whether Washington was prepared to sanction such strikes.
“What we learn from our partners in Ukraine will inform our discussions with other allies and partners in the days and weeks to come as we work and think.
Blinken cited Poland’s strong support for Ukraine and said it would be appropriate to begin such discussions there.
Russia has warned that any decision to allow Ukraine to attack Russia with long-range Western missiles would deepen the direct involvement of the United States and Europe in the war and trigger a response from Moscow.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made defence a top priority for the eastern member of the NATO alliance, with Poland also trying to fortify its borders with Belarus and Russia.
Relations between Poland and Russia have deteriorated sharply since Moscow sent thousands of troops into neighboring Ukraine on February 24, 2022. In response, Warsaw has increased defense spending, which is expected to reach a record PLN 186.6 billion ($47.95 billion) by 2025.
Blinken praised the inclusion of Poland, which he called the “gold standard” for membership in the NATO alliance.
The top US diplomat also visited Britain earlier this week and met Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, President Andrzej Duda and Sikorski on Thursday.
Hybrid invasion
Warsaw has repeatedly accused Moscow of trying to destabilise Poland, which plays a key role in providing military aid to neighbouring Ukraine, but Russia denies the allegations.
Poland has accused Russia of a campaign of arson, sabotage and cyber attacks. It has also accused Russia and its ally Belarus of fuelling the migrant crisis on its eastern border. Moscow has also denied the allegations.
Blinken said such “hybrid attacks” were “part of a deliberate strategy that included Russia” and that NATO allies were ensuring it had an impact on Moscow, and also criticised wider Western pressure to impose sanctions from 2022 onwards.
He also praised Poland’s progress in distancing itself from Russian energy since the war began and said he had discussed with Sikorski how Washington could move forward with the change.
Poland said ahead of the meeting with Blinken that private nuclear energy cooperation, including the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant, would be on the agenda.
(1 USD = 3.8919 PLN)
