"We understood India's position": Polish Deputy FM on Russian oil import

By Ayushi Agarwal

New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): As India and Poland prepare to deepen strategic ties ahead of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s planned visit to India later this year, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski said the two countries have resolved their differences over India’s imports of Russian oil and now better understand each other’s positions.

In an interview with ANI during his visit to India, Bartoszewski said Poland had earlier expressed concerns that India’s purchases of discounted Russian crude were helping finance Russia’s war economy. However, he added that both countries understood each other’s positions and the issue is no longer a significant point of discussion.

“I think we were critical about India buying Russian oil. We understood the economic reason for that because it was at a heavy discount, about 40 per cent less than the market price. We understood that, but it was fueling the Russian war economy. So we had a different view on that,” he said.

The Polish Deputy Minister said the matter has since evolved through dialogue.

“This matter has been changed and resolved, and this is really not much of a topic of conversation now. We understood India’s position. India understood our position. Yes, we happen to disagree, but we still have amicable relations. Of course, each nation has its own priorities, but certain things can be negotiated and agreed, and I think this was the case,” Bartoszewski told ANI.

His remarks come in the backdrop of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s strong comments during talks with Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in January, when he said India had been “selectively targeted” over the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its energy ties with Moscow. Jaishankar described such criticism as “both unfair and unjustified,” while reiterating that India’s decisions are guided by its national interests. (ANI)

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