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Putin wants to seize vast swaths of Ukraine, says Polish FM

25.05.2022 23:30
Poland’s foreign minister has warned that Russia's Vladimir Putin wants to seize vast swaths of Ukraine and will not settle for small territorial gains.
Zbigniew Rau.
Zbigniew Rau.PAP/EPA/Filip Singer

Zbigniew Rau dismissed suggestions by some Western politicians that Russia should be offered parts of Ukraine so that Putin could save face, Polish state news agency PAP reported. 

Rau's words came in an interview with the polskatimes.pl website on Wednesday. 

‘A very irrational and very naive approach’

Poland’s top diplomat was asked to comment on suggestions from various European politicians that Ukraine should cede some territory to Russia. This would give Putin a “face-saving” way out of his invasion of Ukraine, they have argued.

Rau replied: “It's a very irrational and very naive approach. Putin is not after this or that scrap of land. He wants to capture as vast a chunk of territory as possible.”

Rau added that Putin "wants to have a say in the fate of Europe and beyond.”

‘Throwback to the imperial era’

Rau also said that the idea of territorial concessions was “a throwback to the imperial era” when superpowers arbitrarily redrew country borders “to achieve a balance of influence.”

“It’s a recipe for conflicts that span many generations,” he warned.

‘Totally unacceptable in the 21st century’

According to Rau, “such an approach is totally unacceptable in the 21st century, when relations between countries are based on the principle of equal sovereignty and independence, but also mutually recognised territorial integrity.”

Wednesday is day 91 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAPpolskatimes.pl