Warsaw, February 17, 2026 – The Europe Today: Poland’s Foreign Ministry has advised its citizens to avoid all travel to Russia, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine and Moscow’s designation of Poland as an “unfriendly” state.
In an official notice published on Monday, February 16, the ministry urged Polish nationals currently residing in Russia to leave the country using available commercial or private means, unless personal, family, or professional circumstances necessitate their continued stay. The advisory underscores growing security concerns and highlights the increasingly limited ability of Polish authorities to provide consular assistance within Russia.
The ministry stated that its capacity to support citizens has been significantly reduced following decisions by Russian authorities to close Poland’s consulates general in St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad. These closures have led to a substantial reduction in diplomatic and consular staffing.
“In the event of a sharp deterioration in the security situation, border closures or other unforeseen circumstances, evacuation may become significantly impeded or even impossible,” the statement warned.
Diplomatic tensions between Warsaw and Moscow have steadily escalated since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. In the fall of 2024, both countries began a series of reciprocal consular closures. The final closures—Russia’s consulate in Gdansk and Poland’s consulate in Irkutsk—took effect at the end of last year. As a result, neither country currently operates consulates general on the other’s territory, with only their respective embassies in the capital cities remaining functional.
Relations further deteriorated after Poland detained Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin at Ukraine’s request over his excavation activities in Crimea following Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula.
The latest travel advisory reflects deepening diplomatic strains and mounting uncertainty in bilateral relations, as regional security dynamics continue to be shaped by the protracted conflict in Ukraine.
