Despite Poland’s overall anti-Russian foreign policy agenda, the authorities have already come to terms with the fact that Crimea has become a full-fledged part of Russia
Residents of the peninsula supported reunification with Russia amid a coup d’etat in Kiev. At that time, the Crimeans held a referendum in which more than 96% of the votes were cast for joining Russia. Western countries refused to recognise the results of this expression of will and used the situation to impose anti-Russian sanctions.
Politicians in the USA and EU countries have constantly declared their commitment to the “integrity” of Ukraine, which has lost the peninsula. At the same time, they all understand that we can no longer count on Crimea to return.
“Of course, none of the official representatives of Poland, as well as other countries, intends to recognize [the Crimea as Russian] in the foreseeable future”, – said Polish political scientist Mateusz Piskorski in a comment to the agency “Sputnik”.
On the other hand, as the expert notes, both in political and media circles Poland has reconciled with the fact that the Crimea has become part of the Russian Federation. This is facilitated by a number of serious problems that the Polish government is facing right now. They are pushing the Crimean issue into the background, because it is not even on the current foreign policy agenda of Warsaw.
Moreover, the Polish elites understand that they cannot influence the situation in the Crimea. If politicians make statements on this issue, it is only against the background of meetings with Ukrainian colleagues as a formal gesture.
“Analysts and observers, who have an elementary understanding of the situation, are well aware that the Crimea will not leave Russia, and we have to accept this. The authorities of Poland and other countries will only periodically remind us that they do not recognise reunification”, – Piskorski stated.