Relations between Poland and Belarus have hit a new low amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Published On 5 Sep 20255 Sep 2025Warsaw has reacted angrily after Belarus arrested a Polish clergyman on suspicion of espionage.Belarusian state media reported on Friday that agents from the state security service had detained the man and found documents on him related to joint military exercises planned by Belarus and its ally, Russia. Poland has called the move a provocation and promised a “response”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listThe priest, identified as Grzegorz Gawel, was arrested the previous day in the city of Lepel, east of the capital, Minsk. A Belarusian national was also detained.State news agency Belta reported that the Polish suspect possessed a copy of a document concerning the Zapad 25 exercises due to take place this month. He also had Belarusian and foreign cash and a portable telephone SIM card registered to someone else.The Zapad exercises, held every two years in either Belarus or Russia, are viewed with interest by Western countries because of Belarus’s proximity to three neighbours that are part of the NATO alliance – Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.“There is irrefutable evidence of the Polish citizen’s espionage activities,” Belta, the Belarusian state news agency, said. “A few minutes before his arrest, he received a secret military document. All of this was captured on video.”Belta added that he had been trying to recruit the Belarusian national in his company and offered him money and small gifts.Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters on Friday that Warsaw “will [not] accept such provocations or the nonsense spouted by the Belarusian side”. Advertisement “I am not yet certain about the nature of our Jesuit’s visit [to Belarus], but according to my infor …
