Poland Snubs Russia Before World War II Commemoration Ceremony
Polish authorities have refused to invite a Russian delegation to a commemoration ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II.
Krzysztof Szczerski, an aide to the Polish president, said Wednesday in comments carried by the Polish news agency PAP that Russia hasn’t been invited to the events in September because of its aggressive actions in Ukraine.
Russia has been slapped with various international sanctions for its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014 and ongoing support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Szczerski said the anniversary ceremonies will be held “in the company of countries with whom Poland cooperates closely now for peace that is based on the respect for international law, for sovereignty of nations and of their territory.”
MFA Romania was among those weighing in via Twitter about 2014 and present-day relations:
5 years since the illegal annexation of #Crimea. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of #Ukraine must be respected @MFA_Ukraine
— MFA Romania (@MAERomania) March 17, 2019
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Wednesday that it was “bewildered” by the snub and accused the Polish government of rewriting history to suit its political agenda.
“Despite the critical contribution of our country to defeating Hitler’s Germany and liberating Poland from Nazi invaders, there is no place for Russia there,” the statement said.
Polish opposition politicians voiced their disagreement over the right-wing government’s decision to snub Russia.
Former Prime Minister Leszek Miller, an ex-Communist who is now running for a seat in the European Parliament, said on Polsat TV that “it is hard to talk about World War II without mentioning the armed effort of the Soviet Union.”
“If this is going to be a sign that they are not inviting him as punishment, then the Kremlin would only shrug,” Miller said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was then the prime minister, traveled to Poland for anniversary observances 10 years ago and made a speech at the Westerplatte peninsula, in Gdansk, where the war began with Nazi Germany’s invasion Sept. 1, 1939. The visit took place despite the fact that Russia’s relations with Polish authorities were tense.
In an effort toward improving them, Putin and Poland’s then-prime minister, Donald Tusk, held talks.
On Sept. 17, 1939, the Soviet Red Army invaded Poland, carving it up jointly with Germany, an act that is still seen in Poland as betrayal.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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