Political leaders Steinmeier and Merz have publicly refused Poland's demand for payment of reparations.
In a recent visit to Berlin, Poland's new President, Karol Nawrocki, demanded reparations for damages from World War II. The conservative PiS party, close to Nawrocki, had established a parliamentary commission to examine the issue, and a report authored by Arkadiusz Mularczyk in 2023 stated that the claims amount to 1.3 trillion euros.
However, the conversation between Nawrocki and German leaders took place in a friendly and constructive atmosphere. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier firmly rejected this demand, while the government spokesperson's statement did not mention Nawrocki's reparations demands but stated that promoting reconciliation with Poland after the atrocities of World War II and German occupation remains a historical responsibility for the federal government.
Nawrocki and Olaf Scholz (also known as Merz) held a conversation and an exchange of views during their meeting. The Chancellor assured Nawrocki of Germany's solidarity in protecting against the threat from Russia, emphasizing Germany's firm and unwavering stance at Poland's side in securing the Baltic Sea region and the NATO eastern flank.
During his visit, Nawrocki also discussed security challenges in the region and the future of the EU with the German leaders. The issue of reparations remains open according to President Nawrocki after his meetings in Berlin.
The relationship between Germany and Poland was strained by the new migration policy of the black-red coalition, which initially involved turning away asylum seekers. Poland responded by introducing its own controls at the border with Germany, and the issue of migration played a role in the talks in Berlin this time.
Despite the ongoing discussions, Nawrocki expressed confidence that he would reach an agreement with the Federal Chancellor and the Federal President. No press conferences were held following the talks at Schloss Bellevue and the Chancellery, which is unusual for such an important partner of Germany as Poland.
In their conversation, Steinmeier and Nawrocki emphasized the importance of close and trusting cooperation between their countries, with Nawrocki inviting the Federal President to visit Poland, and Steinmeier accepting. Germany has strengthened its military support for Poland, deploying four Eurofighter combat jets for airspace surveillance instead of two, following recent violations of Polish airspace by Russian drones.
Furthermore, Nawrocki wrote on the X platform that atonement for the wrongs committed against Poland during World War II was also discussed. Olaf Scholz (also known as Merz) seeks a restart of relations with Poland, having visited the country shortly after his election as Chancellor, aiming to achieve a "restart" in bilateral relations. The details of the discussions and any potential agreements will be announced in due course.
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