France Assures Poland of EU Support in Case of Conflict with Belarus

France has assured Poland that it will receive EU support in the event of a confrontation with Belarus, but reminded Warsaw that it needs to resolve its differences with the EU, as reported by Reuters.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki met with French President Emmanuel Macron as part of diplomatic efforts being mobilized as a firm response to what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has referred to as Belarus's attempts to use migrants to "destabilize" the European Union.

While Macron reaffirmed his solidarity with Poland, he expressed ongoing concerns regarding the rule of law and urged the Polish government to find a solution that would protect the core values of the European Union.

Brussels has been embroiled in a long-standing dispute with Warsaw over the independence of the Polish judiciary, press freedom, and LGBTQ rights. The conflict reached a peak in October when a Polish court's ruling called into question the supremacy of EU law, which Brussels viewed as a challenge to EU unity.

Morawiecki stated that he discussed the potential increase of sanctions against Belarus with Macron, whose office indicated that he had confirmed his desire to exert pressure on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.