Prime Minister Donald Tusk – whose government, in 2008, Russia openly expected to remain passive on Nord Stream – now claims that he opposed the project so strongly that… he was isolated in Europe. These words were spoken during a press conference in Berlin.
The Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline was put into operation on 8 November 2011, and the second line on 8 October 2012. In 2011, construction of Nord Stream 2 also began. What do these dates have in common? Donald Tusk was then the Prime Minister of Poland. And, as Michał Rachoń revealed, as early as 2008, Russia expected Poland to take a passive stance toward Nord Stream.
Yesterday, that same Prime Minister Tusk said in Berlin that he had been… isolated in his opposition to Nord Stream.
“When we spoke about the threats posed by investments such as Nord Stream, about Europe’s gas dependency on Russia, I often felt isolated in Europe. Today, when it comes to a firm stance on a common energy policy, I have the greatest support from the Chancellor. It really is a sign of the times,”
he said.
Donald Tusk, warning against Nord Stream, was isolated in Europe in that regard? Already last year, Zbigniew Kuźmiuk of PiS recalled that it had been possible to prevent the development of Nord Stream 1 and 2, which would have significantly altered the geopolitical situation in the region, and that Donald Tusk had had tools at his disposal that he did not want to use.
“It is a pity that the Prime Minister was not such an opponent of Nord Stream 1 and 2 during his time in government from 2008 to 2014 and during his chairmanship of the European Council from 2014 to 2019. If not for this Russian-German investment, Russia’s aggression against Ukraine probably would not have happened,”
the opposition MP wrote.
The issue of Nord Stream was not the only matter raised during the conference in Berlin…
“Polish victims of Germany.” Then the Prime Minister added something else
“We are accelerating the restitution of Polish cultural property; the Federal Foreign Office will create an appropriate working group,” announced German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin. He confirmed the handover to Poland of 73 documents from the 13th-15th centuries and a carved head of St. James the Greater.
“This is not the last decision regarding the return of artifacts long awaited by Poland,” added Donald Tusk.
The Prime Minister thanked Chancellor Merz while also speaking of Polish victims.
“Thank you for your personal involvement in this exceptionally prestigious place, and I think we are close to the final stage, there will be a monument commemorating the Polish victims of World War II, the Polish victims of Germany… uhh… Nazi Germany,”
we heard.
“A symbol, but important in our relations,” Tusk stated.