Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki paid a visit to Helsinki, where he met with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin. The Prime Ministers’ conversation concerned bilateral cooperation, current topics on the European agenda – including energy and economic issues. In addition, security issues were discussed, in particular the threat from Russia and the attack on Ukraine.

“Despite the heavy losses, Russia is still a great threat. That is why further sanctions are needed”, said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at a press conference after his meeting with the head of the Finnish government and added that Russia must feel the pain of war, because “special times require special actions”. The Polish Prime Minister pointed to the hitherto unused potential confiscation of Russian assets – both of the Russian state and of Russian oligarchs.

“These funds cannot just be frozen because they acquire value. We must cause these funds to be used to rebuild Ukraine. Today the whole world is paying for Russian aggression, but it is Russia that should pay for all its crimes”, said Mateusz Morawiecki.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that Poland is doing more than it should by helping refugees from Ukraine, as well as supporting others in helping Ukraine. In doing so, she pointed out that Finland is also doing its part in fulfilling its part of the commitments and recently decided to deliver the largest military aid package to date, worth more than €55 million.

Sanna Marin shared the Polish Prime Minister’s view and said that Russia must be held accountable, “because it cannot be that Russia will violate international law with total impunity. We must make it pay for the destruction it has caused. The atrocities and crimes committed by Russia cannot go unpunished”, she added.

Adrian Andrzejewski