Have Germany and France lost their dominance? Sikorski announces Poland's new role in the E5 group

Germany and France, even together, are too weak to rule Europe today; the continent must “breathe with two lungs, western and eastern,” said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, in an interview for the German weekly “Der Spiegel”.

Poland wants to be a representative of the interests of Central and Eastern Europe

“Germany and France are too weak to govern Europe today. Even together, they do not have a blocking minority,” Sikorski said in an interview published on Wednesday in the online edition of the weekly “Der Spiegel”.

Poland – as he noted – is not only the largest of the ten countries that were admitted to the EU in 2004, but is also one of the 20 largest economies in the world. “Europe must breathe with two lungs, Western and Eastern,” said the head of Polish diplomacy, recalling the words of Pope John Paul II. Poland wants to be a representative of the interests of Central and Eastern Europe – said the minister. He thanked German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul for inviting Poland to the E5 format – a group also consisting of Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain.

Sikorski did not agree with Spiegel's assessment that – contrary to hopes – Polish-German relations are not moving forward after the change of power in Poland in 2023.

“It's much better. The government in Warsaw no longer sends you any bills,” said the minister, turning to the Germans.

“We don't have to fall into each other's arms right away. There are differences of opinion between neighbors. We are working on it with our partners from the Federal Republic,” assured the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mentioning the Monument to Polish victims in Berlin and the planned German-Polish House. “We want reconciliation, but it must be based on the full picture of history” – he explained, adding that German historical memory is “leaky”.

Sikorski on reparations: they were stolen from us

When asked about his position on reparations, Sikorski said: “The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk recognizes the results of the Potsdam Conference. According to them, Poland should receive war compensation from the reparations granted to the Soviet Union. However, they were never paid to us. It can be said that they were stolen from us.”

The minister added that There are still tens of thousands of victims of the German occupation in Poland who deserve compensation.

“It would be a final gesture, not just a verbal admission that Germany feels morally responsible,” noted the head of Polish diplomacy.

Turning to security issues, Sikorski pointed to two common challenges – the situation in the Baltic Sea and the threat from ballistic missiles from Russia's Konigsberg. He recalled that the Polish Ministry of Defense provided the German side with a list of military projects that should be addressed by both countries. “Berlin's special involvement would show that we can count not only on NATO, but also on bilateral friendship,” the minister emphasized.

When asked about the anti-German attitude of the “nationalist opposition” in Poland, Sikorski expressed the view that “Poles know that Germany is partners not only in theory.” As he noted, the government managed to reverse the mood of war fatigue and discouragement towards Ukrainian refugees. He mentioned the successful fundraising for generators generating electricity for Ukraine.

The minister mentioned acts of sabotage by Russia, and considered the use of Ukrainians for this purpose particularly vile. This serves to fuel hostility towards them, he said.

“Putin is still not ready for a just peace in Ukraine and wants its capitulation. We are convinced that Ukraine has the right to an independent existence,” Sikorski said. In his opinion, Europeans should assure Ukraine that it can count on their support.

“We cannot allow aggressive Russia to forcefully move the borders,” declared the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs in conclusion. (PAP)

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