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Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has warned that Kremlin denials of reports about possible hostile actions against Poland should not be taken at face value, noting that Russia employed similar rhetoric before launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to UATV English, citing Polsat News, Sikorski made the remarks during a meeting with Polish ambassadors in Warsaw, responding to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov’s dismissal of reports about possible Russian provocations against Poland as “Western propaganda” aimed at “demonizing Russia.”
Sikorski said Moscow had issued identical assurances before the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“Russia made exactly the same claims just weeks before invading Ukraine, when it categorically denied any intention of attacking the country,” he said.
He also recalled that the Kremlin denied Russian involvement in the seizure of Crimea in 2014, insisting that the so-called “little green men” were not Russian soldiers and claiming their weapons could supposedly be purchased in ordinary stores.
According to Sikorski, as long as Ukraine continues to defend itself effectively and inflict significant losses on Russian forces, Moscow lacks the capability to launch a large-scale offensive against NATO, including Poland.
He said this is one of the key reasons Warsaw continues to support Ukraine, while stressing that Russia nevertheless retains the capacity to conduct hybrid operations and provocations.
Sikorski cautioned that official statements from Moscow should not be treated as evidence that no threat exists.
“If Russian authorities claim such actions will not take place, they may simply be lying,” he said, adding that it is also possible Russia abandoned such plans after receiving clear warnings from Poland and its allies.
The Polish foreign minister also welcomed the decision by Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz to declassify information on Poland’s military assistance to Ukraine provided between 2022 and 2026.
According to Sikorski, making the data public will demonstrate the true scale of Warsaw’s support for Kyiv and should contribute positively to Polish-Ukrainian relations.
Addressing recent disagreements between Warsaw and Kyiv, including controversy over the naming of a Ukrainian military unit after UPA heroes, Sikorski said such disputes do not alter the broader strategic reality.
He stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains the principal threat to Ukraine, Poland, and NATO as a whole.
“Allowing emotions alone to guide policy amounts to the geopolitics of adolescents,” Sikorski said.
Earlier, the Polish foreign minister revealed that Warsaw had received intelligence from several allied countries warning of possible Russian provocations. Polish intelligence services have also warned that Russian security agencies could attempt terrorist attacks, including against Ukrainians living in Poland, in an effort to inflame tensions between Poles and Ukrainians.
Read also: Putin Would Be Reckless to Test NATO’s Unity, Polish FM Sikorski Says
