PM Kopacz in Prague: no change on Russian sanctions

Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz reaffirmed that Poland has no immediate plans to drop sanctions imposed on Russia, during a meeting with her Czech counterpart in Prague.

The Ukrainian crisis was the chief subject of discussion between Kopacz and Bohuslav Sobotka, the prime minister of the Czech Republic, on the former’s first visit to the country since taking up office in September.”Poland is interested in solving the armed conflict of our eastern neighbours,” she said, adding that Warsaw ”has not changed its views on sanctions imposed on Russia.”

Kopacz also noted that the prospective opening of an EU energy union, as championed by her predecessor Donald Tusk and President Bronislaw Komorowski, is of key importance.

Poland’s concept of an energy union envisages among other factors that EU member states jointly negotiate energy contracts with Russia, so as to avoid what Polish leaders have described as ”energy blackmail.”

The Czech prime minister said that Polish-Czech relations are ”close and friendly.”

The two leaders also talked about improving the transport infrastructure connecting the two countries.

”We agree that further investments are essential,” Kopacz said.

”Connecting Polish and Czech motorways is important for the development of Central Europe,” she added.