There was no formal sign-up for Washington meeting, says Polish FM
Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has said there was no official declaration of participation regarding the meeting in Washington during the EU leaders' talks attended by the government.
The foreign minister responded to Marcin Przydacz, the presidential aide, who said that arrangements for Poland's presence at Monday's meeting in Washington with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were made during Saturday and Sunday talks of the so-called coalition of the willing, attended by Sikorski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Although several European leaders attended Monday's meeting, Polish officials were notably absent. Przydacz criticised Sikorski for not having "declared Poland's readiness to participate in this visit."
Sikorski replied to the remark on the X platform on Tuesday: "Deputy Minister Przydacz received a detailed report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the teleconference of the coalition of the willing and is aware that there was no confirmation of attendance." "We have the transcript," he added.
Earlier on Monday, Adam Szlapka, the government spokesperson, said that Monday's talks in Washington were conducted "in the same format as the earlier online talks between European leaders, which included President Trump," with President Karol Nawrocki representing Poland. The statement was echoed by Sikorski, who claimed Zelensky had communicated this to the prime ministers.
The 'coalition of the willing' was established on March 2 at the initiative of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to develop a comprehensive plan of support for Ukraine.
The discussions at the White House on Monday focused on the outcomes of Friday's Trump-Putin summit and preliminary Russian proposals for a ceasefire in Ukraine.(PAP)
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