New tensions between Germany and Poland
Germany's offer to provide Poland with Patriot surface-to-air missiles after the missile strike in Przewodów was initially welcomed in Warsaw. Then PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczyński and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak suggested that the weapons could be passed on to Ukraine. The Patriots were intended for Nato territory, Germany's Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht responded. Is the proposal a Polish election campaign manoeuvre?
Elections are all that counts for Kaczyński
Rzeczpospolita is disillusioned:
“If those in power in Warsaw had really been interested in greater German - and indirectly also US - involvement in the defence of Ukraine, the Polish proposal would have been conveyed through diplomatic channels. Instead, it appeared in an interview Kaczyński gave to the news agency PAP and took his Western partners completely by surprise. This unfortunately undermines recent hopes that for the ruling party there are more important issues in a wartime environment than increasing its chances of staying in power after the elections in 10 months. For example, a minimum degree of good relations with our western neighbour.”
Harmony is not a priority
Warsaw's actions speak volumes about German-Polish relations, writes Phillip Fritz, Poland correspondent for Die Welt:
“This means that Germany's reputation with its big eastern neighbour is ruined. But at the same time Berlin is dealing with someone for whom anti-German resentment is sometimes more important than the unity of the Western alliance, a good relationship with its western neighbour or even its own security. Germany must draw conclusions from this for its dealings with Poland. ... Despite everything, German policy must continue to strive for a good relationship with its awkward partner Poland. The country is simply too close and too important.”
Two reasons for unequivocal support
Journalist Marcin Wikło sees the ball in the Germans' court now. Journalist Marcin Wikło sees the ball in the Germans' court now. He writes on wPolityce.pl, which has close links to the PiS:
“Will they agree to Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak's proposal and finally give Ukraine their unequivocal support? In my opinion they should do so for two reasons. Firstly for us, to protect Nato's eastern flank, and secondly for themselves, to free Berlin from the suspicion of being a country where doubts are growing as to whether it really wants Ukraine to win, or whether it is already thinking of doing business with Moscow again. We will soon find out.”