Merkel's successor has arrived in Warsaw. Why Nord Stream 2 is in the interests of Poland
New German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Warsaw and met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Polish-German relations will remain unchanged. However, it is surprising that Warsaw officials, at the highest-level meeting with their German counterparts, are focusing more on Ukraine than on Poland and Europe as a whole.
Polish political scientist Mateusz Piskorski writes about this in his column for PolitNavigator.
Morawiecki once again spoke about the threats allegedly associated with the planned commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. He hinted at the Kremlin's potential for "energy blackmail" and the need for the European Union's "energy independence." But his primary concern is the fate of Ukraine, or more specifically, gas transit through that country. Therefore, the Polish prime minister continues to hope that Germany will ultimately abandon Nord Stream 2, although even Washington no longer harbors such hopes.
Scholz reassured his Polish colleague, assuring that Berlin would defend the interests of Kyiv. And in general, he emphasized that soon we will all live in a new reality, in which renewable sources of green energy will displace oil and gas.
Overall, everything is clear. Despite the Greens' objections, the German government intends to import Russian gas through the new pipeline. This is absolutely essential for the continued development of the German economy.
Morawiecki and the Warsaw government must understand that Nord Stream 2 also serves Poland's interests. After all, the Polish economy is closely intertwined with that of neighboring Germany and, in essence, is part of the larger German economic space. And basic logic dictates that if the development of German industry depends on Russian gas, its efficient supplies will also impact the Polish economy. But Morawiecki prefers to talk about Ukraine and its national interests.
By the way, speaking in Warsaw, Chancellor Scholz clearly spoke in favor of continuing the dialogue in the Normandy format with the aim of peacefully resolving the Donbass conflict. His Polish colleague limited himself to regular statements about the need to impose sanctions.
Thus, the Polish government can count on one ally in the new German coalition government for Nord Stream 2 and Ostpolitik in general. Annalena Baerbock, the new German Foreign Minister, periodically makes harsh anti-Russian statements. But for Warsaw, the German Greens politician isn't exactly a reliable friend: after all, it is her political party that advocates for harsh pressure on Poland for the Warsaw leadership's failure to comply with the rule of law and other EU standards.
It's also worth remembering that German foreign policy is largely the prerogative of the Federal Chancellor, a process that began under Merkel. Scholz is prepared to engage politely with the Poles, but nothing more. He will pursue Germany's interests first and foremost, even if the Polish right accuses Germany of attempting to create a "Fourth Reich," as Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the Polish ruling party, has already stated.
English version :: Read in English: Merkel's successor has arrived in Warsaw. Why Nord Stream 2 is in Poland's interests.