Russia's 'irresponsible actions' in Ukraine trampled all principles underpinning world order: Poland

Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau on Tuesday said the ''burning'' issue of Russia's aggression against Ukraine was one of the key topics of his conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Rau said Russia's ''irresponsible actions'' in Ukraine have trampled all the principles that underpin the world order and described as ''very close'' the assessment of the current situation by India and Poland. The Polish foreign minister began his visit to India on Monday.

''The burning issue of Russia's aggression against Ukraine was one of the key topics touched upon during my conversation with Prime Minister Modi as well as during discussions with Minister S Jaishankar,'' he said at a media briefing.

''While Poland and India may differ in how we have reacted to the war in Ukraine, we believe we still have built on common values, principles and interests, including the promotion of a credible rules-based global order and effective multilateralism that we share,'' Rau said.

''In this context, I need to stress that Russia's irresponsible actions in Ukraine blatantly trample all the principles that underpin the world order from which Poland and India have benefited so much in the past few decades,'' the minister added. He said the crisis will trigger serious implications for global security, including energy and food security, ''the consequences of which both our regions are yet to deal with''.

Rau said though Poland and India may differ on reacting to the war in Ukraine, both countries share the common values of promotion of a rules-based global order and effective multilateralism. ''There is no doubt in my mind that our assessment of the situation is very close. Both India and Poland have strategic experience with foreign imperialism and it is very difficult not to see the present aggression against Ukraine as an attempt to restore the Rusian empire,'' he said.

In his address at the Raisina Dialogue, the Polish foreign minister shared his critical assessment of Russia's ''brutal invasion'' of Ukraine.

Rau described his meeting with Jaishankar as very fruitful.

''I must tell you that I had a very fruitful conversation concerning the Russian aggression against Ukraine with your foreign minister and I am really impressed by the way we conducted the conversation,'' he said.

The Polish minister said the meeting offered an excellent opportunity to discuss key issues of mutual interest.

''We agreed with Jaishankar that our countries are ready to take mutual political and economic relations to an even higher level,'' he said.

Rau said he believed that his meetings and discussions with key Indian officials will translate into a renewed momentum in the bilateral ties. ''We will spare no efforts to constructively cooperate to solve regional and global problems,'' he added. Rau reaffirmed Poland's commitment to maintaining the robust dynamics of political relations with India as one of key Asian countries.

The Polish foreign ministry said another equally important issue discussed with the Indian side was the broadly understood economic cooperation in the mining sector as well as the pharmaceutical and defence industries, and in promoting Polish exports.

It said the culminating point of the ministerial talks was the signing of a bilateral agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.

''My presence in New Delhi is evidence of Poland's active engagement in maintaining good Polish-Indian bilateral relations built on the willingness to promote freedom, democracy and international order based on the rule of law,'' said Rau during the first day of his visit to India.

''This is particularly important in the light of current challenges to regional and global security across our eastern border,'' he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)