Polish government and presidential clash over ambassador appointments, with Tusk defending Klich’s position in Washington.
Meeting Scheduled to Resolve Diplomatic Dispute
A meeting between President Karol Nawrocki and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski is scheduled for January 26 to discuss the staffing of Polish diplomatic posts. The most serious dispute concerns the Polish embassy in Washington, which has been headed by former Defense Minister Bogdan Klich as chargé d’affaires since November 2024.
Nawrocki Objects to Klich’s Appointment
President Nawrocki disagrees with Klich’s mission in the US capital, and similarly to his predecessor Andrzej Duda, has not yet signed the proposal to appoint the former defense minister. According to the president, Klich is unable to “dignifiedly” represent Poland in the United States, citing statements in which Klich “insulted” current US President Donald Trump.
Przydacz Predicts Klich’s Departure
Head of the Presidential Office of International Policy Marcin Przydacz stated on Wednesday that the days of the former defense minister in Washington are numbered, and Minister Sikorski “has already come to terms with the fact that Bogdan Klich will not be ambassador” in the US capital.
Tusk Dismisses Claims About Klich
Prime Minister Donald Tusk dismissed the presidential minister’s claims at a press conference on Thursday. “The days of Minister Klich are not numbered. There is no decision to withdraw Mr. Klich from the post in Washington. This is untrue,” said the head of government.
The dispute between the government and the Presidential Palace concerns dozens of foreign posts. As the Foreign Minister reported at the end of the year, about 40 proposals for new ambassadors await Karol Nawrocki’s approval, including positions in Rome, Kyiv, Berlin, and Tehran.
