Sikorski appeals from Kyiv for ambassador approvals as Polish presidential palace rejects plea

Appeal from Kyiv

Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski visited Kyiv unannounced on 11 September 2026, using the trip to renew calls for President Karol Nawrocki to formally sign pending ambassadorial nominations. During the visit, which Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór described as a gesture of support for Ukraine, Sikorski posted a video on social media alongside Piotr Łukasiewicz. Łukasiewicz has led the Polish embassy in Kyiv as chargé d'affaires since September 2024. In the video, Łukasiewicz described the working conditions facing Polish diplomats in the Ukrainian capital.

Service in Kyiv is indeed a challenge for us, but also a privilege and an honor, especially here. We are this first line of contact also with the Russians and with Russian missiles. We have support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We would like all Poles to believe that they have good diplomatic representation here in Kyiv.

Sikorski addressed the president directly at the end of the recording, asking him to sign the nomination for the head of a wartime mission. Sikorski followed up with a separate post reiterating the request for all pending appointments.

Presidential Chancellery pushes back

The head of the International Policy Bureau in the Chancellery of the President, Marcin Przydacz, rejected Sikorski's appeal on 11 September 2026. Przydacz accused the foreign minister of instigating the diplomatic deadlock and bypassing established appointment procedures. According to Przydacz, representatives from the presidential palace and the foreign ministry had conducted months of negotiations to select candidates for key embassies. He stated that Sikorski had agreed to the negotiated slate during a meeting with Nawrocki, but the foreign ministry later notified the presidency that Prime Minister Donald Tusk refused to accept any agreement with the president. Przydacz maintained that Sikorski lacked negotiating independence within the government.

The crisis regarding ambassadorial nominations was caused by you, Minister, breaking all the rules that have functioned so far in matters of staffing diplomatic missions.

Origin of the ambassadorial deadlock

The confrontation over diplomatic posts began in March 2024, when Sikorski moved to end the missions of more than 50 ambassadors and withdrew over a dozen pending nominations submitted by the previous government. Former president Andrzej Duda refused to recall or appoint diplomats without prior presidential agreement, pointing to Article 39 of the Foreign Service Act. Under that law, ambassadors are appointed and dismissed by the president on a motion from the foreign minister approved by the prime minister. As a result, the government dispatched envoys in the temporary rank of chargé d'affaires, leaving embassies without fully accredited ambassadors.

Stalled appointments worldwide

The standoff has continued under Nawrocki's presidency. The foreign minister stated in early September 2026 that 46 ambassadorial nominations remain on the president's desk, arguing that most candidates are career diplomats while accusing Nawrocki of finding pretexts to delay approvals. Nawrocki has opposed several specific appointments, including former defense minister Bogdan Klich as envoy to Washington and Ryszard Schnepf as head of the embassy in Rome. Both diplomats currently lead their respective missions as chargés d'affaires while the executive dispute remains unresolved.