Baerbock rejects Polish demand - and speaks of readiness "as long as Ukraine needs us"

Created: 05/10/2022 05:04

Annalena Baerbock (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Foreign Minister, speaks at a panel discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum.

© Christoph Soeder/dpa

It's a delicate visit for Annalena Baerbock.

Now the foreign minister in Warsaw has clearly rejected the Polish demands for reparations. 

• Foreign Minister

  Baerbock rejects

  Polish

  demands for

  reparations

  : The issue of reparations has been "closed" for Germany, the Greens politician said during her visit to Warsaw.

• This news ticker on the visit of

  Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

  to

  Poland

  is continuously updated.

Update from October 4, 3:35 p.m.:

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also commented on further German support for Ukraine as part of her trip to Poland.

"This time we will defend every corner of NATO territory," said Baerbock at the Warsaw Security Conference in response to a question from the journalists present.

The 41-year-old asks to trust Germany, even if past decisions - such as in energy policy or Nord Stream 2 - would have cost trust.

Germany was also too hesitant to begin with when it came to arms deliveries.

However, the tide has now turned, the Foreign Minister went on to explain.

"We will be united as long as Ukraine needs us." Germany already supplies tanks like the Cheetah or artillery that make a difference on the battlefield.

With regard to the possible delivery of Leopard 2 main battle tanks, Baerbock said: "Chancellor Scholz is reflecting with international partners on what we can do." So far, when supplying Leopard tanks, Germany had pointed out that it did not want to go it alone.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the Warsaw Security Conference.

© Ahnefeld

Asked about a growing mistrust of the federal government, Baerbock further replied: "That really hurts me." However, the foreign minister admitted that Germany has not listened enough in the past and once again refers to Nord Stream 2 understand former opposition politician.

First report from October 4th:

Foreign Minister Baerbock rejects Polish demands for reparations

Warsaw – Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) has rejected Poland's demand for billions in reparations from Germany for damage suffered in World War II.

The issue of reparations has been "closed" for Germany, Baerbock said at a joint press conference with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau in Warsaw on Tuesday.

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Germany would stand by its historical responsibility "without ifs and buts", the Foreign Minister affirmed.

There could be "no final stroke".

However, legal foundations were created during the construction of the European Union, "that's why this question has been legally clarified for us," Baerbock continued.

"It's good that we can talk about it personally today," said Baerbock to her Polish counterpart, Zbigniew Rau, as reported by an IPPEN.MEDIA reporter on site.

Germany stands by its historical responsibility in view of what Germany did to Poland, the Foreign Minister went on to say and spoke of "inhuman oppression".

Baerbock at PK in Warsaw: World War II reparations completed from a German perspective

With regard to reparations, however, the position of the federal government is clear.

From the government's point of view, the reparations have been completed.

While Poland's Foreign Minister Rau struck a diplomatic tone in the joint press conference from the start, Baerbock seemed visibly tense on the subject, as reported by our on-site reporter.

It was only when the current situation in the Ukraine war came up that the Federal Foreign Minister occasionally acknowledged statements by her Polish counterpart with a nod.

Rau emphasized the joint responsibility of Poland and Germany towards past, present and future generations.

"I am therefore convinced that the position of the German government on this issue will continue to develop as a result of the dialogue."

Poland's government emphasized reparation demands ahead of Baerbock's visit

Shortly before Baerbock's visit, Poland's PiS government had reiterated its demands for reparations from Germany: Rau signed a diplomatic note to be handed over to Berlin.

On the 83rd anniversary of the start of the Second World War on September 1st, a parliamentary commission in Warsaw presented a report in which the damage in Poland was estimated at more than 1.3 trillion euros.

On Tuesday, Rau again did not name a specific sum that might be included in the diplomatic note.