Polish Deputy PM Walks Out of Interview When Pressed on Pakistan-Linked Cross-Border Terrorism

Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski abruptly terminated a media interview and walked away when directly questioned about India’s concerns over cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

The tense moment occurred during an exclusive interaction with NDTV’s Senior Executive Editor Aditya Raj Kaul, immediately following Sikorski’s bilateral meeting with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on January 19.

In their official talks, Jaishankar had issued a clear and pointed warning:
“Deputy Prime Minister, you are no stranger to our region and are certainly familiar with the longstanding challenge of cross-border terrorism. I hope at this meeting to discuss some of your recent travels to the region. Poland should display zero tolerance for terrorism and not help fuel the terrorist infrastructure in our neighbourhood.”

The statement was widely understood in diplomatic circles as a direct reference to Sikorski’s visit to Pakistan in October 2025, during which a joint statement with Pakistani authorities mentioned the “Jammu and Kashmir dispute” and called for resolution in line with international law and the UN Charter, language India regards as unwarranted interference and potentially indulgent toward Pakistan’s record on terrorism.

During the NDTV interview, Sikorski first spoke on broader geopolitical issues, including the Russia-Ukraine war (which he described as a “colonial war”) and urged India to take a more assertive position as a voice of the Global South. He also drew parallels between Europe’s “selective targeting” of India over Russian oil purchases and other perceived double standards.

However, when the conversation turned specifically to India’s longstanding grievance, Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism, the very issue Jaishankar had raised earlier, Sikorski visibly stiffened, appeared irritated, refused to answer, and walked off camera, ending the exchange without further comment.

The walk-out has sparked widespread discussion in Indian media and on social platforms, with analysts describing it as a revealing diplomatic misstep that highlights underlying friction in India-Poland relations, even as the two countries maintain a strategic partnership and bilateral trade approaching $7 billion.