Poland's foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski spoke to FRANCE 24's Marc Perelman on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. He discussed the ongoing stand-off between Poland and the European Commission, Warsaw's strained relations with Paris following President Macron's recent comments, and Russia's war games.

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Amid souring EU relations on many fronts, from migrants to Poland's new judicial reform, Witold Waszczykowski said the European Commission's involvement in Poland's ongoing judicial debate is "totally bizarre". "So far, we are just debating, we are just discussing about changes in the judicial system, so what's the right, what's the prerogative of the Commission to already impose on us some regulation or some direction of thinking?", he wondered.

Regarding ties between Warsaw and Paris - equally strained since August, when a speech by the French president sparked a row with Poland - Waszczykowski insisted that his country "prefers to engage in a serious discussion on the merits with our French friends than to listen to some slogans which are not necessary, maybe directed to the domestic audience in France, in Paris, not for the Poles".

Warsaw's other major foreign policy concern remains the Russian large-scale military exercises that have left Poland but also other neighbouring countries increasingly worried about Putin's endgame. "We have to be cautious, we have to monitor", the Polish foreign minister said.

>> On France24.com: East vs West? Lifting Europe's 'new iron curtain'

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