Sikorski at G20: impossible to respond politely to the bombing of Ukrainian cities

Refusal of a "polite" reaction to aggression

On 30 October in Atlanta, where the G20 foreign ministers' summit is taking place, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski reacted sharply to reports of a possible request from Washington for NATO allies to speak more restrainedly about the Russian threat.

The Polish diplomat emphasised that the current situation leaves no room for diplomatic manoeuvres in language.

«Хотів би, щоб хтось пояснив мені, як реагувати на вбивство кількох десятків пасажирів, хоча б сьогодні вранці на вокзалі в Дніпрі. Як ввічливо реагувати на бомбардування міст, на застосування балістичних ракет проти теплоелектростанцій, як не протестувати проти цієї агресивної війни, яка вже забрала понад мільйон життів» (I would like someone to explain to me how to react to the killing of several dozen passengers, at least this morning at the station in Dnipro. How to react politely to the bombing of cities, to the use of ballistic missiles against thermal power plants, how not to protest against this aggressive war, which has already claimed over a million lives), Sikorski told journalists.

He reminded that Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine has already claimed over a million lives.

Resonance regarding the Pentagon's position

Sikorski's comments came against the backdrop of a Reuters report dated 29 October. According to the agency, citing four sources, Pentagon officials allegedly approached Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia with a request to soften their public rhetoric towards Russia.

Journalists also asked the head of the Polish foreign ministry about a possible warming of relations between the US and the Russian Federation and a change in Moscow's image on the international arena.

«Це питання до тих, хто такі речі пропонує» (That is a question for those who propose such things), Sikorski replied briefly, adding that Poles already have a formed position on this issue.

Conflicting photo with Lavrov

The presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the summit became a separate topic for discussion. Sikorski immediately stated that there would be no joint photograph with his Russian counterpart.

«Бо я не єдиний, хто не хоче мати фото з Лавровим» (Because I am not the only one who does not want to have a photo with Lavrov), he explained the reason for such a position.

The Polish minister called the organisers' decision not to provide for joint photos correct. At the same time, he acknowledged that Lavrov's presence at the event causes discomfort, although he emphasised that Russia remains a member of international structures that have their own rules.

«Якщо ти член клубу, то треба поводитися як джентльмен, а деякі, на жаль, не вміють» (If you are a member of the club, you need to behave like a gentleman, and some, unfortunately, cannot), Sikorski concluded.

Appeal to Moscow

In response to a question about what message he would like to convey to Lavrov, Sikorski called for the end of the Russian war against Ukraine.

«Уже досить, годі. П’ять років цієї кривавої війни, її треба закінчувати» (Enough already, that is enough. Five years of this bloody war, it needs to be ended), the minister said.

Regarding the absence of a Ukrainian representative at the G20 meeting, Sikorski refrained from a direct comment. He noted that this issue should be addressed to the organisers, and as a "newly minted participant" of the summit, he would not comment on the decisions of the US administration for now.