“Over recent months, our relations have been very intensive, which reflects the dynamic developments in our countries, in Europe and globally. The Czech Republic remains Poland’s strategic neighbour,” said Minister Zbigniew Rau in a conversation with the Czech Republic’s Foreign Minister Tomaš Petříček.

“Challenges arising in our eastern neighbourhood call for intensive dialogue, and wherever possible – joint engagement,” emphasised Deputy Minister Marcin Przydacz during consultations with his Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian counterparts – Aleš Chmelař, Martin Klus, and István Balogh respectively. The meeting, held in the form of a videoconference, confirmed the need for regular discussions at the forum of the Visegrad Group on Eastern policy.

Today’s video conference, organised by Bulgaria, was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Paweł Jabłoński and government coordinators for the Three Seas Initiative. Representatives of the European Commission, United States, and Germany joined the discussion along with representatives of the format’s member states. Bulgaria convened the meeting to present its vision of developing cooperation within the Three Seas Initiative. The conference also aimed to support preparations for the sixth Three Seas Summit, which will take place in Sofia at the turn of June and July.

- Poland welcomes the involvement of the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union in development cooperation, particularly in negotiations of the post-Cotonou agreement that comprehensively defines the EU’s future relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. We also appreciate Portugal’s activities in Africa-related matters, including areas that particularly require the EU’s attention, such as Ethiopia in the context of the conflict in the Tigray province, and Mozambique, in connection with the Islamic rebels’ activity in Cabo Delgado, - stressed Deputy Foreign Minister Paweł Jabłoński during a telephone conversation with Secretary of State at Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Francisco André.

- Poland does not forget about those in need, not only in our country but also around the world. Today, we are sending another humanitarian aid transport to Iraq in response to a great demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a war with the so-called Islamic State. Our intention is to support the medical services there in providing the necessary help to the inhabitants of Iraqi Kurdistan, - emphasised Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paweł Jabłoński speaking about the aid dispatched today in coordination with the Ministry of National Defence, its subordinate air units, and the Material Reserves Agency. As part of the Poland’s relief effort for Iraq, the Material Reserves Agency has airlifted blankets, surgical gowns, towels and sheets which will reach the needy.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland decided in accordance with the principle of reciprocity to consider the employee of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Poznań as a persona non grata, as a response to the groundless 5 February 2020 decision by the authorities of the Russian Federation to consider a Polish diplomat as a persona non grata.

Bilateral relations, the fight against the pandemic, joint anniversaries, the rights of national minorities, economic and regional cooperation, security, including energy security, and Eastern policy: these have been the most important topics of today’s bilateral talks between Minister Zbigniew Rau and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland has learned with concern about the decision by the authorities of the Russian Federation to consider a Polish diplomat working at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Saint Petersburg as a persona non grata.

“Poland is looking with hope at Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto’s mission to Ethiopia, starting next week, in relation to the conflict in the Tigray region,” underlined Deputy Foreign Minister Paweł Jabłoński in a telephone call with Elina Kalkku, Under-Secretary of State at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

“The Kingdom of Spain is one of key European partners for Poland. Our regular political dialogue is especially important in the context of new challenges faced by the European Union and NATO. I am very pleased that, despite the epidemic, Minister Arancha González Laya could come to Warsaw,” said Minister Zbigniew Rau greeting the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Coordination.