Putin's threats to Europe should be taken seriously – Polish FM

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin repeatedly threatening European countries with military force must be taken seriously, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Jan. 30.

According to the public broadcast Polskie Radio, Sikorski said that “Putin has threatened Poland, Latvia, and Finland; when he threatens a country, he is serious about it.”

The minister added that Western countries often fail to properly address these threats.

“Now, with Russian tanks in Belarus and Russia moving nuclear weapons there, as well as nuclear weapons near Kaliningrad and Iskander missiles capable of reaching Berlin, we in Poland feel the threat posed by the physical presence of Russian tanks just 250 kilometres from our capital,” said Sikorski.

“I am always surprised that this issue is not commonly discussed in Germany.”

He added that Europe must act quickly as Ukraine is under pressure.

"If the Americans refuse to provide aid, we will be faced with a serious dilemma: either to replace the United States, that is, to double our efforts, or to allow Putin to conquer Ukraine," he concluded.