New Polish Gov't to Seek Normal Relations with Russia, Ukraine

The new cabinet in Poland will try to improve ties with Moscow and Kiev, Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna has announced.

His comments for Polish media outlets come briefly after Ewa Kopacz was sworn in as the country's Prime Minister over the weekend, the Bulgarian National Radio reports.

Thirteen ministers from the former government have jointed five new ones to form Poland's executive body after Donald Tusk stepped down as PM to become European Council President.

Kopacz is the first female Prime Minister in Polish history.

Both she and Schetyna have made clear they would act more moderately with regard to Russia and Ukraine.

For months Warsaw had been the fiercest critic of Russian policies on Ukraine, with former top diplomat Radoslaw Sikorski on the spearhead of both EU measures to tackle the crisis in Kiev and action targeting Moscow.

Schetyna is now quoted as saying he will try to make sure the new policies in the east gives Poles more security.