Russia’s Ambassador to Poland has ignored summons to appear at the Polish Foreign Ministry to explain the Russian missile that violated Polish airspace, saying there was “no point” in explaining.
According to the Polish military, defence radar systems recorded the missile entering the country’s airspace for 39 seconds on Sunday before returning to Ukraine.
Read more: Russian missile entered Polish airspace during attacks on Ukraine
The country’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador, Sergei Andreev, to explain the incident, but the embassy did not respond.
“The ambassador of the Russian Federation (…) did not attend the Foreign Ministry,” said ministry spokesman Paweł Wroński.
Wroński suggested that the ambassador may have violated the 1961 Vienna Convention, which “clearly describes the duties of an ambassador in the host country”.
“We are wondering whether the ambassador follows the instructions of the foreign ministry in Moscow and whether he can properly represent the interests of the Russian Federation in Warsaw.”
As a result, Poland will decide on the next steps as it cannot ignore such “a sign of contempt,” Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz told Polsat News.
He said there is a need for “agreed decisions, because this is the response of the entire Polish state.”
The ambassador’s behaviour was commented on by numerous politicians, some of whom called for radical measures. Anna Maria Żukowska of the Left Party wrote on X that the ambassador should be expelled.
Andreev later referred to his rejection of the ministry’s call, pointing to the lack of evidence that Russia was responsible for the incident.
“We are still waiting for evidence from the Polish side that it was a Russian cruise missile that entered Polish airspace. We have not received any confirmation yet,” he told Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
He added that he had suggested to his “Polish colleagues” that they may send a diplomatic note to the Kremlin by post or courier.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called Andreev’s stance “absolutely unacceptable,” adding they would demand explanations, “but we will probably get some demagoguery instead.”
Sikorski said he would discuss the matter with Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s office and talk to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | Euractiv.pl)
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