French President Emmanuel Macron has called Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki "a far-right anti-Semite who bans LGBT people", after being criticised for his talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin.
Mr Morawiecki compared Mr Macron's efforts to negotiating with Hitler.
The French president has held regular conversations with Mr Putin since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
On Friday, Poland summoned the French ambassador over Mr Macron's comments, made to a French newspaper.
"How many times have you negotiated with Putin and what have you achieved?" Mr Morawiecki said on Monday.
Mr Macron defended the talks in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper.
"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."
It is not clear why Mr Macron accused Mr Morawiecki of anti-Semitism, although the Polish government has faced international criticism for laws making it harder for Jewish people to recover property lost during and after World War Two, as well as one making it an offence to link the Polish nation to Nazi crimes.
Mr Macron also said Mr Morawiecki wanted to help his rival Marine Le Pen in the French presidential election on Sunday.
Opinion polls show that Ms Le Pen has closed the gap on Mr Macron, who joined the campaign late and has seen his lead erode as Ms Le Pen focussed on a cost-of-living message.
He enjoyed a boost from his diplomatic efforts in the Ukraine conflict but that has faded, and he has tried to portray Ms Le Pen as someone sympathetic to Mr Putin.
A Polish government spokesman, Piotr Müller, rejected Mr Macron's accusation of anti-Semitism, saying he had gone "too far" with his choice of words.
Latest Stories
-
Ketu South MCE commissions an ultra-modern toilet facility in Aflao
9 mins -
Sunyani East parliamentary elections: Ransford Antwi to contest as an independent candidate
18 mins -
Publish full KPMG report on SML/GRA contract – NDC to Akufo-Addo
24 mins -
Inspire Action trains 24 people in vocational training
27 mins -
The government pays little attention to the health sector – Sammy Gyamfi
32 mins -
Peter Amewu mourns after mother’s death
35 mins -
Contract between the government and SML unlawful- Sammy Gyamfi
37 mins -
Dennis Agyei Boateng: Harnessing the power of development communication for Ghana’s development
41 mins -
Achieving equity in the fight against malaria requires greater domestic resource mobilisation
42 mins -
MP Murder Case: Defence Counsel to file ex-parte application to subpoena persons to assist trial
44 mins -
Eat healthy foods to attain anti-aging goals – Nutritionist
47 mins -
4 little ways to tell if you’re crazy-in-love or just crazy-obsessed
49 mins -
Court jails man seven years for cocoa smuggling
52 mins -
Poor driving behaviour contributes to air pollution – Experts
55 mins -
Ejisu by-election: Manipulation of electorates will take place the night before the polls – Dr Asah-Asante
60 mins