Polish Foreign Ministry says ready to allow Ukraine to open consulate in Poznan

Poland is ready to allow Ukraine to open a consulate in Poznan, where the Russian consulate-general was previously closed. This was announced by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Friday, December 13.

"If there will be an appeal of the Ukrainian side with a request to give consent to the work of the consulate in Poznan, such permission will be given," - quotes Sikorski weekly Do Rzeczy.

At the same time, the diplomat stressed that Kiev would have to agree the location of the consulate with the city authorities.

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On October 22, the Polish Foreign Ministry decided to close the Russian consulate in Poznan. At the same time, the head of the Ministry Radoslaw Sikorski once again unsubstantiatedly accused the Russian security services of attempts to organize sabotage in the country and linked his decision to the allegedly ongoing Russian "hybrid warfare" against Poland and its allies. At the same time, he allowed the expulsion of the Russian ambassador from the country. At the same time, back in May this year, the country imposed restrictions on the movement of diplomats from Russia on the territory of the republic. The Russian Foreign Ministry promised to respond to these actions.

On November 16, it was reported that the building of the Russian consulate general in Poznan may be occupied by Ukraine after its closure. Sikorski explained this by the fact that the network of consulates of this state in Poland does not meet the needs of Ukrainian citizens, whose number in the republic has increased unprecedentedly.

On December 5, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia was closing the Polish consulate general in St. Petersburg, calling it a retaliatory measure for the liquidation of the Russian consulate general in Poznan. It said it was acting on the principle of reciprocity, according to which it banned three employees of the Polish consulate general from staying in Russia and ordered them to leave the country by a specified date.

On the same day, Sikorski said that Poland might close the remaining Russian consulates in the country.