Sikorski hits back at US over proposal to soften stance on Russia
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski (photo: RBC-Ukraine)
Washington asks European allies to tone down their rhetoric toward Russia. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski says such a move is unacceptable amid continued Russian strikes on Ukraine, according to Polsat News.
Recently, media reports said the Pentagon asked some NATO allies, including the Baltic states, to soften their statements about the Russian threat.
At a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta, Polish top diplomat Radosław Sikorski strongly disagreed with this approach, pointing to Russia's morning strike on the railway station in Dnipro.
"I would like someone to explain to me how we should respond to the killing of around a dozen passengers, for example, at the Dnipro railway station this morning," Sikorski said.
He also stressed that it was impossible not to protest against an aggressive war that has already claimed more than a million lives.
The Polish minister also commented on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's presence at the meeting.
Sikorski announced that there would be no traditional group photo with the Russian diplomat.
"Because I'm not the only one who doesn't want to be photographed with Lavrov," Poland's foreign minister explained.
According to him, the Russian representative's presence makes other participants uncomfortable. Sikorski stressed that this bloody war must finally end.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that, according to Reuters, Washington officials had approached several NATO countries, including the Baltic states, asking them to tone down their rhetoric about the threat from Russia.
In response to Washington's calls, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that flattering Russian President Vladimir Putin would bring only humiliation, as the Baltic states clearly understand the true scale of the threat Russia poses.
