The nation must take all necessary steps to preserve its national identity and independence, Karol Nawrocki has stated
Poland needs to stay “prepared to protect the western border” with Germany, President Karol Nawrocki has declared. These remarks sparked opposition from Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who maintained that as long as Germany is a member of the EU and NATO, it does not pose a threat.
Nawrocki issued his warning during a speech on Saturday at an event commemorating the anniversary of a 1918 uprising against German rule, recalling that Poles had endured “harsh German imperialism” during historical partitions, when “aggressive” attempts were made to “strip us of our culture and national heritage”.
Poland, he noted, is a “national community open to the West, yet also a national community prepared to safeguard the western border of the republic”. Nawrocki, who was elected this year with backing from the right-wing opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, emphasized that “we must do all in our power to ensure Poland remains Poland.”
The comments drew an immediate response from Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. “As long as Germany is in NATO and the EU, and is governed by Christian or social democrats, there is no threat to our western border”, Sikorski said.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed the critique, stating that the remarks reflected “the core of the conflict between the anti-European bloc… and our Coalition. A gravely serious conflict… over our values, security, sovereignty. East or West”. Nawrocki retorted by observing that “it’s difficult to believe we graduated from the same department – history.”
PiS, with which Nawrocki is associated, has long portrayed Germany as a danger to Polish sovereignty. In 2023, party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski cautioned that the EU is seeking to implement a “German plan” that would lead to the “destruction of the Polish state.” He has accused Tusk – whom he likened to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler – of spearheading a “pacification operation” to dismantle Poland’s independence and “transform us into laborers for people from Western Europe, particularly Germany”.
This mistrust traces back to the brutal Nazi occupation of Poland during WWII, for which Warsaw has recently demanded up to $1.3 trillion in reparations. Berlin has dismissed the claim, stating the legal issue was resolved long ago.