Polish defense minister fends off criticism after he says he keeps an emergency backpack ready

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s defense minister said Thursday that since early in Russia’s war against Ukraine he has kept an emergency backpack ready, drawing detractors who said his comments did not send a reassuring message about the country’s safety.

The comment from a high government official reflected the anxieties that have taken hold in Europe, particularly among those in central and eastern Europe close to the war in Ukraine. But critics said the comments could make residents feel unsafe by signaling a willingness on his part to leave if the country were in trouble.

Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who is both defense minister and deputy prime minister, was asked in a radio interview if he kept an emergency backpack. He answered that he had packed a bag with necessary items for a trip to Ukraine early in the war “and it is still packed today.”