Three years of reporting, funded by our readers — become a member now and help us prepare for 2025.
Goal: 1,000 new members for our birthday. Gift a membership to your friend and help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Become a member Gift membership
Skip to content
Edit post

Warsaw summons Russian ambassador after Putin threatens Poland

by The Kyiv Independent news desk July 22, 2023 2:12 PM 2 min read
Russia's President Vladimir Putin, flanked by Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, during the naval parade on Russian Navy Day in St. Petersburg on July 31, 2022. (AFP via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Warsaw has summoned the Russian Ambassador to Poland after President Vladimir Putin threatened Poland and claimed it was eyeing territory in Ukraine and Belarus.    

After the arrival of 5,000 Wagner fighters into Belarus following their short-lived mutiny, Poland said it would move troops to the border.    

Putin reacted aggressively, saying Poland was about to occupy western parts of Ukraine and was "dreaming of Belarusian lands," threatening to respond with force.

Number of Wagner fighters in Belarus reaches 5,000
About 5,000 Wagner mercenaries arrived in Belarus, according to Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service spokesman Andrii Demchenko. Their presence there does not present an immediate threat to Ukraine, he said.

“The western territories of present-day Poland are a gift from (Soviet tyrant Joseph) Stalin to the Poles, have our friends in Warsaw forgotten about this?” he added. “We will remind you.”

"Stalin was a war criminal responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Poles," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on July 21.

"The historical truth is not subject to discussion," he added.

Russia has regularly threatened Poland and the Baltic states with military force. Putin has also been sabre-rattling using nuclear weapons on multiple occasions.

Poland has been one of the key backers of Ukraine in its defensive war agaisnt Russia.

Morawiecki said in an interview published by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on June 4 that Ukraine deserves a quick path to NATO membership given that it "fights in the interests of NATO."

According to Morawiecki, Ukraine fights on behalf of the military alliance "in the sense that they are defending against this brutal Russian force which would jeopardize many other NATO countries," even though it is not yet a NATO member.

For this reason "they deserve to be presented with a very quick path to NATO," the Polish Prime Minister said.

Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.
It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Become a member Gift membership
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

1:40 PM

Merkel describes Trump as 'fascinated by Putin' in her memoir.

"(Donald Trump) saw everything from the point of view of a property developer, which is what he was before he came into politics. Every plot of land could only be sold once, and if he didn't get it, someone else would," Angela Merkel says in her memoir.
11:54 PM

Biden seeks to cancel over $4.5 billion of Ukraine's debt.

"We have taken the step that was outlined in the law to cancel those loans, provide that economic assistance to Ukraine, and now Congress is welcome to take it up if they wish," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Nov. 20.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.