Poland says closure of Russian embassy in Warsaw not under consideration

Poland has no plans to shut down the Russian Embassy in Warsaw, with officials saying such a step would be counterproductive despite relations between the two countries being at a “zero level”.

Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki said that expelling Russia’s ambassador or closing the mission was not under consideration, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“It would be counterproductive for various reasons, including our own interests. However, since 2022, relations have been practically at zero level,” Bosacki said in response to a question on whether Warsaw should close the embassy and expel the Russian envoy.

From the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, Poland has stepped up the expulsion of Russian diplomats, with Moscow responding in kind.

Since February 2022, both countries have undertaken around ten rounds of expulsions involving embassy and trade mission staff. 

Poland has removed about 80 Russian representatives (45 of them in March 2022), while Russia has ousted more than 70 Polish officials.

In addition, in 2022–2023, the Polish authorities took control of several buildings in Warsaw belonging to the Russian diplomatic mission: a residential complex, a holiday retreat outside Warsaw, and the school attached to the Russian embassy. They also froze the embassy’s accounts.

In October 2024 and May 2025, Warsaw—citing unsubstantiated accusations of sabotage—closed the Russian consulates general in Poznań and Kraków. The Russian Foreign Ministry responded in kind by shutting down the Polish consulates in St Petersburg and Kaliningrad.

By Aghakazim Guliyev