In response to Poland’s announcement that it will no longer send weapons to Ukraine, Lithuanian Parliament Speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen says such statements only benefit Russia.
“Only one side wins from such statements – Russia, which is waging its brutal war against Ukraine. It’s a shame, of course,” the speaker said on Thursday, adding that the dispute could be resolved diplomatically.
“I hope that the parties will find the strength to calm down and seek diplomatic solutions, and this situation will be resolved,” she said.
Poland said on Wednesday it would no longer supply weapons to Ukraine and would instead focus on its own defence.
Tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv were sparked by Poland’s refusal to let in Ukrainian grain, a move that drew bitter criticism from President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Warsaw has extended restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural product imports, even though the EU decided to open up its market.
‘Out of context’
Meanwhile, Lithuania’s Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas has defended Warsaw, saying its support for Ukraine has not wavered and that the media has distorted Prime Minister Morawiecki’s statements.
“I will not comment on words taken out of context, especially as they sound completely different. The second thing is that yesterday I met with their [Polish] defence minister, and we talked about support for Ukraine, the Ramstein format, coalitions, supplies, which are completely opposite things,” Anušauskas told reporters at the parliament on Thursday.
He insisted that Morawiecki’s public statements were misunderstood.
“You are repeating words taken out of context, which are different – you will read and find out for yourselves,” the minister responded to a question from reporters.
Anušauskas later stressed that the disagreements were not about military support, but about the divergent positions between Warsaw and Kyiv on grain exports, as well as about the Polish parliamentary elections due in mid-October.
“Wait until those issues on the grain market are resolved and others will be resolved too. That is why I suggest that we cool down and react more calmly to the debate that is taking place in Poland. After all, the Polish context is an electoral one, and we are well aware of that,” said the Lithuanian minister.
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