Russian and Polish flags. Stock photo: Getty Images
Polish diplomatic sources believe it is highly unlikely that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin would choose to fly over Polish airspace on his way to a planned meeting with US President Donald Trump in Budapest.
Source: RMF24, a Polish online news portal, citing comments from a senior Polish diplomat, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Asked about the dilemma Warsaw would face if required to grant Putin’s aircraft permission to pass through Polish airspace, the diplomat said “let sleeping dogs lie” and noted that such a route seems improbable.
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Quote: “I don’t think he needs to fly over Poland – he could go via Serbia.”
More details: The diplomat added with irony that he “doubts Putin would want to fly over Poland”, a remark likely alluding to suspicions in Poland of Russian involvement in the 2010 Smolensk plane crash that killed Polish president Lech Kaczyński.
Another European diplomat said a potential Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest would create a difficult dilemma for Hungary’s neighbours.
Quote: “If we refuse, we’ll anger Trump, who will pressure us and say that Putin is heading for peace talks. But if we agree, we’ll be accused of accommodating a war criminal.”
More details: The diplomat also added that in such a scenario “every option looks bad”.
Background:
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Trump spoke with Putin on 16 October for the first time in nearly two months. Following the conversation, he announced plans for a meeting in Budapest, which would be Putin’s first appearance in an EU capital since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has called Putin’s planned visit to the EU “not nice”, noting that Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, could travel to the territory of a European Union member state.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he does not view Budapest as a suitable venue for such talks, citing Hungary’s stance on issues concerning Ukraine, although he has told Trump that he is ready to meet Putin in Budapest.
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