Washington facilitated the escape of former Polish minister Ziobro to the United States

It’s a new episode in the saga of the escape of former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro. According to Reuters, US Deputy Secretary of State and number two in diplomacy, Christopher Landau, ordered high-ranking officials at the State Department to facilitate and approve the politician’s visa request. The goal: allow the former conservative government official (PiS) to evade Polish justice, which accuses him of abuse of power and complicity in criminal activities.

To avoid his court summons, Zbigniew Ziobro requested “asylum” in Hungary. A request approved by Viktor Orbán, who welcomed the fugitive to his territory in January 2026. Then, the nationalist Prime Minister lost the elections. His replacement, Péter Magyar, elected based on his anti-corruption platform, promised not to offer refuge to individuals wanted by international justice. This raised hopes in Warsaw that the former minister would be extradited and prosecuted. It did not happen.

“A matter of national security”

Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump and his administration have openly – but also through interference – worked to promote conservative ideas in Europe. However, by granting a visa to a politician pursued by an allied country, Washington has crossed a new threshold.

The case of Zbigniew Ziobro was reportedly brought to Christopher Landau’s attention by the US Ambassador to Warsaw, Tom Rose, who believed the Pole was a victim of injustice. This stance aligns with Washington’s narrative. Since returning to power, the Trump administration has often accused the Old Continent of waging a “legal war” against European conservatives.

Amid increasing pressure on the former justice minister, Christopher Landau demanded that his department instruct the US Embassy in Budapest to urgently issue him a visa. A source informed Reuters that the former minister was granted a journalist visa. The American intervention allowed Zbigniew Ziobro to obtain his pass before Péter Magyar took office. The US Deputy Secretary of State justified the move by presenting the issue as “a matter of national security.”

“No one should expect us to give up”

Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk responded to these revelations on Tuesday, May 19, before a meeting of the Council of Ministers, asserting that Poland would show “great determination, and no one should expect us to give up” on bringing Zbigniew Ziobro to justice.

In a press conference, Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek expressed surprise, stating that if a high-ranking US official believed Ziobro was essential to national security and had been granted some kind of exceptional status, he hoped their allies would discuss the evidence gathered in Ziobro’s case, as it was very solid. He went on to mention that prosecutors had prepared an extradition request, but Warsaw was still considering the most opportune time to send it. “We will do everything to bring Mr. Ziobro to justice in Poland,” he assured. Zurek also criticized Washington’s silence, suggesting it could be a serious impediment to the Trump administration.

Last week, a spokesperson for the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Reuters that Warsaw would ask Washington and Budapest for the “legal and factual foundations” on which Ziobro relied to leave Hungary since the Polish government had already blocked his passports.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar confirmed that Zbigniew Ziobro did not go directly from Hungary to the United States. “I don’t know if he left from Vienna, Paris, or Brussels, but he did not leave Hungary for the United States,” he stated.

Up to 25 years in prison

Zbigniew Ziobro, facing 26 charges, risks up to 25 years in prison. He is suspected of embezzling money from a fund intended to support crime victims. These fraudulent activities allegedly enabled the illegal purchase of Israeli spy software, Pegasus, to surveil political opponents. The former minister denies these accusations, claiming to be a victim of a “witch hunt” against conservatives orchestrated by the centrist government. In November 2025, Polish deputies voted to lift his parliamentary immunity and authorize his pretrial detention. Since his arrival in the United States on May 10, Zbigniew Ziobro has become a commentator for the conservative Polish channel Republika.