Jarosław Kaczyński, President of the Law and Justice party (PiS), will meet on Wednesday with the leader of the Christian Democrat party CDU and the head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group CDU Friedrich Merz. Among the main topics of conversation are expected to be the issues of war reparations, gas, as well as the situation in Ukraine and German involvement in allied activities, a source in the Law and Justice party told the paper.
The meeting, which will take place in Warsaw on Wednesday, was initiated by the German side, according to media reports. “Merz is to be accompanied at the meeting with President Kaczynski by several members of the Bundestag,” the source in the Law and Justice party relayed.
Several topics concerning current Polish-German relations are to be taken up during the meeting, it was added.
“The issue of war reparations will certainly be addressed. The President has announced several times that a report on this issue will be published on 1 September,” conveyed a Law and Justice politician involved in the preparation of the meeting.
“Probably the topic of energy will come up, including gas and the situation around the Nord Stream gas pipeline. The politicians will also discuss the current situation in Ukraine, as well as the German commitment to the allies,” – the source in the Law and Justice party added.
According to Der Spiegel weekly portal, Merz is travelling to Poland on Wednesday, where he will meet, among others, the head of government Mateusz Morawiecki, as well as the head of the Civic Platform – Donald Tusk.
According to the portal, Merz considers it necessary to maintain close contact with the political leadership in Poland at present. Reportedly, Merz wants to calm the situation after the recent mass criticism of Germany over its tardy tank exchange.
Like other Eastern European countries, Poland sent old Soviet-made battle tanks to Ukraine, which the Germans were supposed to replace with more modern equipment. However, the promised replacements have not yet arrived in both countries, which is the reason for great anger at the German government, the portal recalls.
CDU leader Merz sharply criticised Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday over the issue. The tank exchange “is stuck at a dead end because of the hesitation of Chancellor Olaf Scholz”, he told ‘ Der Spiegel’ portal. According to it, Merz will then travel to Lithuania, where he will meet with, among others, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonyte.