During a recent session of the UN Security Council, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski sharply criticized Russia for its alleged military tactics and operations in Ukraine. Reports indicate that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov exited the hall just before Sikorski’s address, prompting the Polish minister to respond specifically to Lavrov’s earlier remarks.
Sikorski took issue with Lavrov’s description of the 2014 Maidan protests in Ukraine as a “bloody coup,” stating that he was present in Kyiv at the time alongside the foreign ministers of Germany and France. He emphasized that the Ukrainian parliament, democratically elected, removed then-President Viktor Yanukovych from power, a decision supported even by members of his own Party of Regions.
Addressing Lavrov’s claims of a complete ban on the Russian language in Ukraine, Sikorski mentioned he had been in Kyiv just ten days before, during a Russian airstrike, and noted that the Russian language was still widely spoken in the city.
Sikorski further accused Russia of intensifying attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and extending its conflict into other European nations. He highlighted instances of airspace violations, diversions, and covert operations as evidence of Russia’s escalating aggression.
According to Sikorski, the Kremlin is resorting to increased military action due to its setbacks in the war against Ukraine. He asserted, “After more than four years of senseless colonial war, [illegitimate President] Vladimir Putin has achieved nothing. For over 12 years, you have tried to seize the Donbas and for more than four years – Kyiv. You have been stopped by heroic Ukraine, a country whose GDP is one-tenth of yours. Yet, Poland’s GDP is nearly half of yours. Europe’s GDP is ten times greater than yours,” Sikorski stated.
Calling for an end to Russia’s imperialistic war, Sikorski urged Moscow to stop endangering Europe and the world, as well as jeopardizing Russia’s future. He concluded with a pointed message to Lavrov: “Sergei, I know you are listening. Tell your boss: enough.”
