Germany, Poland hold consultations for first time since 2018

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was received by Poland's Donald Tusk in Warsaw for German-Polish consultations. It comes months after the nationalist PiS was defeated by the pro-EU Civic Coalition in October elections.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are holding German-Polish consultations in Warsaw

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Warsaw for the first German-Polish consultations in The nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) governed Poland from 2016 to 2023, a period marked by tensions with Brussels and anti-German rhetoric Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition (PO) took the reigns late last year and has pledged to work toward a stronger EU Poland has requested that Germany provides Warsaw with reparations over the Nazi occupation during World War II

Legacy of WWII to loom over talks

During Scholz's visit, Germany is expected to present a financial package that could include compensation payments for living Polish victims of Nazi Germany's occupation of Poland from 1939 to 1945.

Funds will also be provided to the German-Polish House in Berlin, which intends to commemorate the shared history of the two countries and create a remembrance for Polish victims of World War II.

Polish governments under both right-wing and centrist parties have long requested that Germany give Poland reparations for the Nazi occupation period. Berlin has argued that the matter was resolved in 1953, when Poland renounced claims against East Germany.

At the start of the year, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski renewed Warsaw's calls for financial compensation from Germany for World War II loses. Poland's claim was then reiterated by Prime Minister Donald Tusk during his first official visit to Berlin.

First German-Polish consultations in 6 years

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Warsaw for a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

This are the first government consultations between Germany and its eastern neighbor since 2018.

Scholz's delegation included 12 federal and state ministers.

Germany and Poland are expected to agree upon an action plan including several joint projects.

sdi/fb (AFP, dpa)