After Ukraine, Poland has now sharply condemned Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg’s (ÖVP) statements regarding Russia. On Monday, he criticized Russia’s refusal to attend an OSCE meeting in Poland. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski called Schallenberg’s move “absurd” on Wednesday and drew some diplomatic comparison to his predecessor.
Regarding Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, Schallenberg had advocated a “moderate approach” to Moscow on Monday. “The OSCE is one of the few remaining platforms where Russian diplomats sit and have to listen to our arguments and our harsh criticism of the Russian offensive war,” the foreign minister said. He also spoke out against a blanket visa ban for Russian citizens.
“Pro-Russian stance very strong at the highest levels of government”
These statements showed “that pro-Russian attitudes are still very strong in many European countries and sometimes extend to the highest levels of government,” Jablonski said. If someone says that the sanctions are too harsh or that Poland should let in the Russian foreign minister – “actually an associate of these crimes” for which the Russian government apparatus is responsible – “those are completely unacceptable things in the family of civilized countries “. .
Poland draws parallels with the Kneissl era
If such people were treated “on the same terms” as “other reasonable politicians”, then something would be “deeply wrong”. “That is a completely incomprehensible, absurd statement, which is unfortunately in the bad tradition of the Austrian Foreign Ministry,” Jablonski referred to former foreign minister Karin Kneissl and her dance with Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin at her wedding and her later professional activity in Russian companies.
Ukraine invites Schallenberg to Dnipro
Schallenberg’s statements also met with little understanding in the Ukraine. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited Schallenberg to the city of Dnipro. There he could present his arguments to the relatives of the 44 victims of the Russian missile attack on a skyscraper, spokesman Oleh Nikolenko said on Tuesday.
Chess legend Kasparov also intervened
Former world chess champion and Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov called on Wednesday for clarification of Schallenberg’s statement that Russia should somehow be included in the European security architecture in the future as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and as a nuclear power. . “Which Russia? One that will be defeated in Ukraine, held accountable and no longer a threat? Or Putin’s mafia, which is still welcome at the table?” Kasparov wanted to know.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
