Politicians in Poland, which has been able to make itself largely independent of Russian gas in recent years, are reluctant to help Germany with its gas supply.
German parliamentarian Markus Ferber suggested this week that you “may wonder whether the Eastern Europeans, who have storage facilities, can supply gas to the West.” Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski responded that Poland “first and foremost wants to share with those who have already shown their solidarity to us.”
Krzysztof Sobolewski of the ruling PiS party told Polish television that Berlin should talk about “the issue of reparations” in exchange for gas, a reference to losses suffered by Poland during the Second World War and the money Germany pays for this.
A package with billions of claims has reportedly been prepared by the Poles, whereas Germany considers the reparations issue resolved.
Sobolewski stressed that Poland was always ready to help others, pointing in this regard to Ukraine, a country that receives much support from the Poles.
In exchange for gas, Sobolewski said, Ukraine would also expect Germany to change its policy on the Nord Stream pipelines, which carry gas directly from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea.
Poland has always warned that Moscow could use those pipelines strongly as political leverage.
