WARSAW, Poland — The Polish foreign minister delivered a poignant address to the national parliament on Wednesday, targeting Russian leadership amid ongoing warfare in neighboring Ukraine with a piercing question: “Isn’t your land sufficient?”
Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski reflected on the precarious environment Poland inhabits due to the conflict next door, expressing deep concerns about the potential widening of the war and the possible fragmentation of Western unity.
Situated on NATO’s eastern border, Poland stands as a vehement supporter of Kyiv. During his speech, Sikorski launched a critical attack on Russia.
In his remarks to Russian leaders, he posed, “Isn’t eleven time zones of land enough for you? It would be wiser to manage what lies within your borders properly, respecting international law.”
Sikorski illustrated the deteriorating security environment, given the proximity of the conflict to Poland’s borders: “There is anxiety about what the future holds, a rising question in Polish homes: Are we too at risk of Russian aggression? Is the relationship between Europe and the United States on a downward path? Can Europe swiftly advance its defense capabilities?”
Poland, along with its European partners, is taking steps to bolster its defenses, wary that Russian aggression might not halt in Ukraine. At the same time, the Trump administration is suggesting Europe should shoulder more of the security burden.
Though unnamed, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to be a subtle target in Sikorski’s speech, where he seemed to criticize the concessions Trump has extended to Russia in efforts to quell the war.
Upon reentering office, Trump erroneously suggested Ukraine “should have never started the war,” stated that “Ukraine may be Russian someday,” and questioned the validity of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration. Furthermore, Trump has deviated from the traditional American policy of isolating Russia due to its aggression by initiating direct discussions with Moscow and adopting views considerably aligned with the Kremlin’s.
A critical message from Sikorski was about the dangers facing Western cohesion. “For Poland, the greatest threat would be the disintegration of the Western community. That is why we cannot afford illusions or inaction. We cannot afford to be alone,” he cautioned.
Sikorski also directed a warning towards Russia: “You will never rule here again, neither in Kyiv, nor Vilnius, nor Riga, nor Tallinn, nor Chisinau,” naming the capitals of Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Moldova.
He further highlighted the “ambiguous” situation on the battlefields in eastern and southern Ukraine, noting that Russian forces’ sluggish advancements are costing “immense losses.”
“Three years into this phase of the war, which Putin planned would last no more than three days, Russian troops occupy roughly 20% of Ukrainian land, held back in eastern Ukraine,” Sikorski pointed out.
He added that estimates suggest the war has already set Russia back by at least $200 billion, with nearly a million Russian soldiers having been eliminated. In contrast, Ukrainian casualties remain lower without allowing either the fall of their capital or the establishment of a puppet government.