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Polish president warns of Russia's 'imperial arrogance' at UN General Assembly

23.09.2026 23:55
Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Wednesday accused Russia of displaying the same "imperial arrogance" that in the past led to the suffering and tragedies of two world wars, and called for a firm response to Russian aggression.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026.Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, Nawrocki said Russia’s efforts to conquer neighbouring Ukraine and destabilise the region contradicted the principles of the UN Charter.

He said Russia was destabilising Europe through open aggression, hybrid operations and acts of sabotage.

"Russia is showing the same imperial arrogance that in the past led to unimaginable suffering and the tragedies of two world wars," Nawrocki said.

He said it was not too late to restore the primacy of international law and strengthen a system in which rules mattered.

Nawrocki said Russia was guided by an "imperial and neocolonial vision of the world" and was seeking to impose its will on other countries, challenging the right of every nation to determine its own future.

Poland, as a neighbour of Russia, does not seek confrontation with Moscow, he said.

"We are strengthening our alliances, developing our army and modernising its equipment not to wage war, but to prevent it," Nawrocki said.

He said Poland continued to regard NATO as the guarantor of European security and accused Russia of waging a broad hybrid campaign involving sabotage, cyberattacks and destabilisation operations, including what he called an artificially created migration crisis.

"We are not dealing with incidents, but with a lasting, deliberate strategy," Nawrocki said, calling for a response that was "firm, consistent and also joint."

Nawrocki also used his address to promote Poland's aspirations for a permanent role in the G20 group of major economies, saying the country could contribute its experience of rapid economic development and its economic transformation.

He pointed to the African Union's admission to the G20 in 2023 as an example of expanding the group's representation and said a similar opening could benefit Central Europe, citing the Three Seas Initiative, which Poland helped establish.

He said investment in transportation and energy infrastructure, including security infrastructure, was crucial to Central European security.

Nawrocki thanked US President Donald Trump for inviting Poland to participate in this year's G20 activities under the US presidency. He said Poland was taking part in preparations for the group’s December summit in Miami.

The president also addressed demographic challenges, including declining birth rates and what he called the "erosion of social ties," saying they weakened the foundations of states.

He called for culture and mass media to promote having children rather than abortion and said illegal migration could not be an answer to demographic challenges.

Nawrocki also called for a stronger international response to persecution based on religion, saying attacks on places of worship, discrimination, violence and loss of life remained a reality for too many people.

He turned to artificial intelligence, saying new technologies, including AI and what he called "superintelligence," should serve people rather than exploit them or their vulnerabilities.

"We need rules that will actually be binding and clearly define where innovation ends and a threat to humanity begins," Nawrocki said. "Artificial intelligence cannot be used as a tool of destabilisation, manipulation or undermining the international order."

On environmental protection, Nawrocki said it should not be "handed over to fanatics," arguing that environmental responsibility needed to be balanced with economic competitiveness and security.

On the Middle East, he said Poland would support efforts to de-escalate conflicts, protect civilians, uphold international humanitarian law and pursue a two-state solution allowing Israel and the Palestinians to coexist peacefully.

Nawrocki said Poland's priority remained an international order based on law.

He also called for reform of the United Nations, saying the organisation needed to be capable of taking action rather than serving merely as a forum for discussion.

"The world has changed; the UN must change as well," Nawrocki said. "We need an organisation capable of responding to violations of the law, enforcing rules and preventing impunity."

He said UN reform should bring "real effectiveness and accountability," including in response to challenges such as demographic change and the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

Nawrocki described the world as being at a turning point, with a return of what he called the logic of force and impunity alongside technologies that could either reinforce or counter it.

"Whether law will be stronger than force, and whether human beings will remain more important than the tools they have created themselves, depends on our decisions," he said.

Poland, Nawrocki said, would stand on the side of law, responsibility, people and freedom.

(gs)

Source: PAP