Russia’s Putin not invited to mark WWII anniversary in Poland: official
PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki
19.03.2019 12:30
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has not been invited to visit Poland to mark the 80th anniversary of the start of World War II later this year, a presidential aide in Warsaw has said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: EPA/MICHAEL KLIMENTYEV
Błażej Spychalski, a spokesman for Polish President Andrzej Duda, has been quoted as saying that no Russian officials have been invited to take part in anniversary observances on September 1.
Private radio broadcaster RMF FM cited Spychalski as saying that only officials from European Union, NATO and Eastern Partnership countries have been invited by the Polish president to take part in the upcoming commemorations.
The Eastern Partnership is an initiative launched in 2009 by Poland and Sweden that aims to forge closer political and economic ties between the EU and its ex-Soviet neighbours to the east.
“Invitations have been sent out based on modern-day, not historical, considerations," Spychalski said, as quoted by the broadcaster on its rmf24.pl website.
Russia’s Putin took part in events to mark the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II in Poland a decade ago, RMF FM reported.
Wojciech Kolarski, a senior aide to Poland's Duda, said earlier this year that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will likely visit Poland to mark the 80th anniversary of World War II breaking out on September 1.
(gs/pk)
Source: rmf24.pl