EU foreign ministers held emergency talks to coordinate evacuations as flights to the Middle East are canceled.
Poland: Political Response
Polish opposition politicians Mariusz Błaszczak and Rafał Bochenek criticized the government for failing to secure Polish citizens in the Middle East. In response, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called the opposition’s stance “exceptionally vicious” and urged citizens to act responsibly, warning that state funds often bear the consequences of irresponsible travel.
Poland: Crisis Preparedness
Foreign Ministry spokesman Maciej Wewiór stated Poland is prepared for various scenarios regarding its citizens in the region. He confirmed no Polish citizens have been reported harmed in military actions. Diplomatic missions have been operating in crisis mode 24/7 since Saturday, with a special crisis team deployed. Poland is not considering sending military aircraft for evacuation, unlike some other countries.
Germany: Tourist Evacuation
Approximately 30,000 German tourists are in the Middle East, nearly 10,000 being clients of TUI. The first Emirates flight from Dubai landed in Frankfurt, with more flights planned. TUI, collaborating with Etihad Airways, Emirates, and Qatar Airways, began repatriating clients on Tuesday, with flights arriving in Munich.
Czech Republic: Government Aircraft
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš announced government aircraft will be sent to Egypt and Jordan to evacuate citizens. Smartwings planes en route to Oman will carry only that airline’s passengers. An Airbus is prepared to depart for Egypt within two hours, seating 79 people evacuating from Israel by bus. Over 6,500 Czechs are in the region.
Spain: Ongoing Evacuation
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares confirmed the evacuation of Spanish citizens from the Middle East is underway, with over 175 already flown from Abu Dhabi to Madrid. The government prioritizes the safety of more than 30,000 Spaniards in the region, including 700 soldiers on a UN mission in Lebanon. Further flights from the UAE via Istanbul are planned.
Lithuania: Partial Evacuation
Lithuania is evacuating vulnerable groups (ill, pregnant women, elderly, children) from the UAE where about 1,259 Lithuanians reside. Around 20 individuals are being prioritized due to flight cancellations and ticket scarcity. Military evacuation is not currently possible. Approximately 2,000 Lithuanians are in the Middle East, with significant numbers in the UAE and Israel.
