Moscow’s foreign ministry on Wednesday lashed out at Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski after he said he would welcome the destruction of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which carries Russian crude to Hungary. Maria Zakharova, the ministry spokeswoman, went further by comparing Sikorski to a notorious terrorist, casting his remark as support for attacks on civilian energy infrastructure.
Zakharova’s comment came in a terse social media post questioning which other civilian targets Sikorski would endorse. Her reaction reflects Moscow’s view that Warsaw’s rhetoric crosses a line from diplomatic criticism into promotion of violence.
The exchange follows a broader row involving Poland and Hungary over the Nord Stream pipeline explosions in 2022. Sikorski had earlier criticized Hungary’s foreign minister, Peter Szijjarto, after Budapest objected to Poland’s refusal to extradite a Ukrainian suspect wanted in a German investigation into the blasts.
Sikorski, who previously served as an opposition lawmaker, has a history of provocative statements related to energy security. After the Nord Stream sabotage he posted a brief message that read, “Thank you, USA.” The United States has denied any role in the incident.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov added to the tensions by accusing Poland of moving beyond rhetorical hostility toward actions he described as tantamount to terrorism. Moscow portrays such statements as evidence that some Warsaw policymakers prefer direct measures rather than leaving pressure or retaliation to Kiev.
Poland has previously defended the view that the Nord Stream sabotage should be treated as an act of war, not a conventional terrorist attack. The incident remains the subject of multiple international inquiries and intense diplomatic disagreement.
The exchange risks further straining relations between Russia and European Union member states already at odds over energy and security policy. Hungary, which relies on Russian oil, has sparred with Warsaw over approaches to the Russia crisis. Analysts say public provocations by senior officials can complicate efforts by EU members to present a unified response on sanctions and infrastructure protection.
Observers will be watching whether the spat leads to formal diplomatic protests or escalates into broader political measures within the EU framework.