Poland considers transferring Russian consulate in Poznan to Ukraine
Poland is considering transferring the Russian consulate in Poznań to Ukraine. Earlier in October, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced his decision to withdraw consent for the operation of the Russian general consulate in Poznań. The Russian diplomats are expected to vacate the consulate building within days. The Polish government is reportedly open to Kyiv's request to establish a Ukrainian consulate at the same location, as reported by RMF24.
When pressed on the timeline for the Russian exit and the potential Ukrainian occupation of the building, Sikorski stated, "The lease of this building expires at the end of this month. We are talking about a matter of days. With the unprecedented increase in the number of Ukrainian citizens in Poland, the current network of Ukrainian consulates does not meet their consular needs.” He emphasized the practical roles of consulates, including legal documentation, births, and deaths. Sikorski cited Russia's actions in Ukraine and hybrid warfare against the West, including Poland as reasons for revoking the consulate’s license.
The Russian consulate in Poznań was initially established in 1946 under an agreement with Poland's then government but ceased operations in 1948, only to reopen in 1960 as a general consulate in 1971.