In a spat over Putin talks, Macron calls Polish PM a “far-right anti-Semite.”

After being chastised for his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron dubbed Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki a “far-right anti-Semite who bans LGBT people.”

Mr. Morawiecki compared Mr. Macron’s efforts to haggling with Adolf Hitler.

Since the start of the Ukrainian war, French President Emmanuel Macron has had regular talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Poland summoned the French ambassador on Friday in response to Mr Macron’s statements to a French publication.

“How many times have you negotiated with Putin and what have you achieved?” On Monday, Mr. Morawiecki stated.

In an interview with the newspaper Le Parisien, Mr Macron defended the conversations.

“It’s my duty to speak with him, we need it. I won’t stop doing it, that’s what allows us to take part in the negotiation,” he said.

“By talking to him and to [Ukraine’s] President Zelensky, we can help in the negotiation. At some point, there will be a ceasefire and peace will have to be built. It cannot be done without a guarantor, France is committed to be one of these guarantors.”

Although the Polish government has faced international criticism for laws making it more difficult for Jewish people to recover property lost during and after World War II, as well as one making it illegal to link the Polish nation to Nazi crimes, it is unclear why Mr Macron accused Mr Morawiecki of anti-Semitism.

Mr. Macron further stated that Mr. Morawiecki wants to assist his adversary Marine Le Pen in the upcoming French presidential election.

According to opinion polls, Ms Le Pen has closed the gap on Mr Macron, who came late to the campaign and has seen his lead shrink as Ms Le Pen focuses on a cost-of-living argument.

His diplomatic efforts in the Ukraine war gave him a boost, but that has faded, and he has tried to depict Ms Le Pen as a Putin sympathiser.

Piotr Müller, a spokesman for the Polish government, dismissed Mr Macron’s charge of anti-Semitism, saying he had gone “too far” with his choice of words.