Halt in Russia oil is part of a wide deterioration of Polish-Russia relations

Over the last few month relations between the two countries deteriorated, which according to analysts, is the result of Poland's engagement in Ukraine's Orange Revolution. Moscow's move of canceling the Polish-Russian economic summit in Kraków is the latest example which shows that the situation is getting worse. "Many arguments are the result of conflicting interests of Warsaw and Moscow, such as gas and oil supplies," said Katarzyna Połczyńska-Nałęcz from the Eastern Studies Institute. She claims that for economic and political reasons, Russia is trying to gain a monopoly over the distribution of oil and gas. Poland is doing its best to avoid this situation, even though 90% of oil is currently imported from Russia. The Polish economy has also been affected by the fact that for the last six months Moscow has also suspended the import of Polish dairy products, the value of which is estimated at EUR 1 billion per year. (Rzeczpospolita, January 22-23, p. B1) A.F.