WARSAW

The Polish government will not allow companies operating in Poland to exploit the current geopolitical crisis to excessively raise fuel prices, Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a press conference in Warsaw on Monday, as global oil markets reacted sharply to renewed fighting in the Middle East.

“I won’t let anyone profit from this critical situation,” Tusk said. “We have no influence on global fuel prices. For sure, another Donald has real influence on what is happening with fuels worldwide. Please direct your questions there, not to the humble Polish Donald.”

His remark was a clear reference to Donald Trump, whose administration has been closely associated with current geopolitical tensions and energy market reactions.

Tusk’s comments came after oil prices spiked overnight, with Brent crude breaking through the $110-per-barrel mark early on Monday — the highest level since mid-2022. Higher oil prices typically feed quickly into retail fuel costs across Europe, including Poland.

Tusk said his government was examining ways to prevent domestic price speculation while acknowledging that Poland could not fully insulate itself from global market pressures.

State energy giant Orlen would be expected to behave responsibly, he added. “Neither Orlen nor anyone else has the right to profit from this situation,” the prime minister said. “We are looking for careful tools to prevent prices from skyrocketing beyond what we see around us.”

Tusk stressed that Polish fuel prices were unlikely to diverge dramatically from those in neighboring countries, warning that artificially low prices could encourage fuel tourism and supply imbalances.

Despite rising demand at petrol stations in recent days, Tusk said Poland’s fuel reserves remained stable and there was currently no risk of shortages. “Regarding supplies and storage facilities, there is no cause for concern at this time,” he said after holding several hours of government consultations on the issue.

Poland maintains strategic fuel reserves through the state system overseen by the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves, designed to ensure continuity of supply during market disruptions.

However, Tusk warned that prolonged instability in global energy markets could eventually have broader consequences.

“There should be no shortage of fuel in Poland in the coming weeks,” he said. “But if the war were to drag on for months, no one can predict what will happen to global oil and gasoline markets.”

The spike in oil prices is being closely monitored across Europe as governments attempt to balance market forces with political pressure to shield consumers from sudden price shocks.

For Poland — a country heavily dependent on imported oil but increasingly diversified in its energy supply since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — the situation underscores the continued vulnerability of energy markets to geopolitical crises.