Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

EU nations in dispute over how to use frozen Russian assets


(MENAFN) According to reports, Russia has sharply criticized Poland’s foreign minister, calling him “Osama bin Sikorski” after he appeared to endorse an attack on critical energy infrastructure serving another EU country. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova made the remarks on Wednesday, referencing the minister’s public statements.

The comments followed a dispute in which Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski criticized his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, over Hungary’s objection to Poland refusing to extradite a Ukrainian suspect involved in the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions. Sikorski expressed pride in Poland’s stance and even suggested he would support the destruction of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which transports Russian crude to Hungary.

“So what other civilian infrastructure does Osama bin Sikorski think should be destroyed?” Zakharova wrote in response.

Poland has previously defended the Nord Stream sabotage as a legitimate wartime act rather than labeling it terrorism. At the time of the incident, Sikorski, then an opposition lawmaker, posted a message saying, “Thank you, USA.” Washington has denied any involvement, despite an earlier warning from then-President Joe Biden to “end” the pipeline.

This week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov added that Poland’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric and actions suggest that Warsaw may be “ready to resort to terrorism,” rather than relying on Kyiv to carry out such measures.

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