Łukasz Jasina made the statement in an interview with public broadcaster Polish Radio on Tuesday.
Asked if Poland’s diplomats would be evacuated from such cities as Kyiv and Lviv amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Jasina replied in the negative.
He said that Poland’s ambassador to Ukraine, Bartosz Cichocki, and his staff, remained at the embassy in Kyiv, a decision that was “both symbolic and important” as the Polish envoy was in a position to help Poles based in the Ukrainian capital and “help evacuate many people.”
“I believe we’ll remain there until the end,” Jasina said.
He added that Poland’s consul in Lviv, Eliza Dzwonkiewicz, would also continue at her post with her team as “they also have much work to do.”
Jasina said the same applied to Polish diplomatic personnel in Moscow.
“We are worried about them, but they work hard there, just as our diplomats in Ukraine do,” he added.
Investigating Russian war crimes in Ukraine
Jasina told reporters that Polish diplomats would support international investigations into Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Such probes were recently launched by the International Criminal Court in the Hague (ICC) and Poland’s prosecution service, he said.
Jasina specified that the Polish foreign ministry would assist the probes “both through our diplomats based in Ukraine, and in Poland, by collecting witness statements,” as well as by raising the issue of Russian war crimes “with our Western partners.”
The International Criminal Court is on Wednesday expected to issue a verdict on war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Launched on March 2, the ICC investigation probes allegations made against Russia on the basis of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, according to the PAP news agency.
Wednesday is day 21 of the Russian attack on Ukraine, which began on February 24.
Poland on Tuesday reported it had admitted 1.83 million refugees fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP