Sikorski: Ukraine’s consulate could occupy building of Russian consulate general soon to be vacated in Poznań

On Poland’s demand, the Russian Consulate General in Poznań will soon be closed as its diplomats were recognized as personae non grata in Poland. If Ukraine were to apply for the use of the real estate property that will be vacated by the Russians, to open its own consular office in the city, Warsaw would approve this appeal.

This was stated by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski, who held a meeting on Saturday with the residents of Rokietnica, located near Poznań, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The lease agreement for this property (consulate general of the Russian Federation in Poznań - ed.) expires late this month. Now we are talking about more than 10 days. Today's network of Ukrainian consulates, taking into account the unprecedented growth of the number of Ukrainian citizens in Poland, does not meet consular needs. It should be noted that consulates address various practical matters: these are various legal documents, children are born, people die. And we would certainly treat such a request from the Ukrainian side (providing real estate in Poznań for the consulate - ed.) with the greatest sympathy," Sikorski emphasized.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Russian diplomats from the Consulate General in Poznań, which was closed by the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, shall leave Poland by November 30. Poland withdrew its consent to the functioning of the Russian Consulate General in Poznań due to its participation in the plotting of acts of sabotage both in Poland and in European countries. The Russian staff of the Consulate General in Poznan have been recognized as personae non grata in the Republic of Poland. The Russian side said it would respond to Warsaw's move, but no decisions have been made yet.

Five consular offices of Ukraine operate in Poland today: consulates general in Lublin, Krakow, and Wroclaw, a consulate in Gdańsk, and a consular department in Warsaw. In addition, Ukraine has nine honorary consulates in Poland.