“Crazy” statements made by Poland’s Ambassador to Paris have been denounced by the leader of France's Eurosceptic party, The Patriots, Florian Philippot.
“These madmen refuse Peace,” wrote the French politician on Twitter, after the Polish envoy, Jan Emeryk Rościszewski, weighed in on the situation that might “force” his country to take part in the Ukraine conflict.
“The crazy statement of the Polish ambassador to France: he announces his country's entry into the war against Russia if [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky loses,” Philippot tweeted.
Screenshot of Twitter post by leader of France's Eurosceptic party The Patriots, Florian Philippot.
© Photo : Twitter
The leader of The Patriots party went on to highlight that such remarks illustrate the unwillingness of NATO and the EU to achieve peace.
Earlier, appearing on French television, Poland's Ambassador to France, Jan Emeryk Rościszewski, claimed that a situation could arise in which Poland would have to enter the Ukraine conflict.
"Either Ukraine will defend its independence today, or we will have to enter this conflict. Because our main values, which were the basis of our civilization and our culture, will be threatened. Therefore, we will have no choice but to enter the conflict," the envoy's said in French.
The Polish Embassy in France tried to backtrack on what the diplomat said, going on Twitter to urge users against "sensationalizing" the remarks which were taken "out of context".
There was "no announcement of Poland’s direct involvement in the conflict, only a warning of the consequences that a Ukrainian defeat could have", the embassy said.
Screenshot of Twitter post by Poland's Embassy in France.
© Photo : Twitter
This comes after an earlier announcement by Polish President Andrzej Duda that Warsaw would send MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. However, Poland's donation of the fighter jets to Ukraine does not affect the United States' position on the transfer of its F-16 jets to Kiev, John Kirby, National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator, said on 16 March.
Kiev has long been lobbying Washington and other NATO nations to provide F-16 fighter jets to boost its forces as part Russia's ongoing special military operation. In February, US President Joe Biden said F-16 jets for Ukraine were off the table "for now".