Poland's ambassador to Ankara highlights Middle East crises, Warsaw's refugee efforts

The Middle East is a place where real people are experiencing “real dramas,” said Poland's Ambassador to Ankara, Maciej Przemyslaw Lang.

Lang outlined Poland's stance on Middle East issues and the Ukraine crisis in an interview with Anadolu, and emphasized Türkiye's significant role in international diplomacy.

On Poland's stance on Palestine, Lang underscored his country's early recognition of the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, and noted that Poland has a Palestinian Embassy in Warsaw. "It basically tells a lot about our position in this regard."

The Palestinian Declaration of Independence formally established the State of Palestine on Nov. 15, 1988, in Algiers, the capital of Algeria.

Regarding Mideast conflicts, Lang offered a personal perspective: "I perceive the Middle East not a big geopolitical chessboard. (I see it) as a place real people live their real dramas."

He noted that Poles were among those killed on Oct. 7 and while delivering humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

Damian Sobol, a Polish volunteer with the World Central Kitchen charity, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza in April.

- Poland sensitive on war crimes

Turning to the Ukraine crisis, Lang detailed Poland's efforts to accommodate the influx of Ukrainian refugees since the war with Russia began in 2022.

“We did not open a single refugee camp. All of them (Ukrainians) were received by Polish families. (It) was absolutely unprecedented," he said.

Lang said nearly 2 million Ukrainians sought refuge in Poland within one month of the outbreak of war, with half a million arriving weekly at the peak.

The ambassador emphasized Poland's commitment to creating favorable conditions for Ukrainian migrants, particularly in education.

He added that Ukrainians in Poland have access to health care, education and labor markets with social security numbers.

Noting the government and society did their best in accommodating refugees, he said: "Of course, they can stay in Poland as long as possible."

Lang commented on Poland's decision to intervene in Ukraine's genocide case against Russia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"All of us saw the mass graves in Bucha. We saw what happened in Bucha," he said, citing Poland's loss of 6 million citizens during World War II as a factor in the country's sensitivity to such issues.

- Prisoner-swap operation shows Türkiye's expertise

The ambassador praised Türkiye's recent involvement in a prisoner swap operation involving the US and Russia.

"It clearly shows a very important role being played by Türkiye in the international arena. (It also shows Türkiye's) level of expertise in terms of dealing with very sensitive issues."

Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) led a successful prisoner exchange involving seven countries in one of the most extensive swap operations in recent years.

It involved 26 prisoners from the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus.

Ten prisoners, including two children, were sent to Russia, 13 to Germany, and three to the US.