Germany and Poland have committed to even closer cooperation. During the German-Polish government consultations in Berlin on Monday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the signing of a joint declaration covering defense, transport, and remembrance policy. The document outlines plans for a bilateral defense agreement next year and the expansion of rail connections between the two countries.
Germany seeks Poland as “a strong partner for a secure, free and prosperous Europe,” Merz said. He described the eight-page declaration as the “foundation” for future cooperation. According to both Merz and Tusk, one of the central topics discussed was the ongoing negotiations aimed at a possible resolution of the war in Ukraine. During their meeting, Merz and Tusk held joint phone calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Afterward, Merz emphasized that the shared position of Germany and Poland is that there must be no “dictated peace over the heads of Ukraine” and “no weakening or division of the European Union and NATO.” In Ukraine, he said, “the unity of Europe is also at stake,” and therefore “no leaf should come between Germans and Poles.”
Regarding future military cooperation, Merz noted that it would include closer coordination of both countries’ land forces, including “enhanced joint exercises.” Under the declaration, the joint defense agreement between the two NATO partners is scheduled to be signed in 2026.
In the transport sector, cross-border infrastructure will be expanded, particularly the rail line between Angermünde in Brandenburg and Szczecin in Poland. In addition, “within a few weeks,” the road connection between Frankfurt an der Oder and the Polish city of Słubice on the opposite riverbank will be upgraded. According to the declaration, both countries also plan to cooperate to “ensure the stability of fuel supplies across the entire German-Polish border region.”
The handling of German atrocities committed in Poland during World War II remains contentious. Merz reiterated Germany’s long-standing position that the issue of possible German reparations to Poland has been “definitively settled” for decades. Tusk reiterated Poland’s position that his country has never received compensation for the crimes committed by Germany.
“The Federal Government will examine possibilities to provide further support for Polish victims of the aggression by the Nazis and the German occupation in Poland between 1939 and 1945,” the joint declaration states. It also reaffirms Germany’s plan to “swiftly establish a permanent memorial” in Berlin for Polish victims of the Nazi era. An architectural competition for this project is expected to be announced next year.
The German government also sought to send a signal regarding the return of cultural property taken unlawfully from Poland due to occupation or war. During the meeting, 73 historical parchments and the statue fragment “Head of Saint James the Greater,” originally from Gdańsk, were returned to Poland. Poland welcomed the gesture and requested the return of additional cultural assets.
Overall, Tusk praised the further deepening of German-Polish cooperation as “something new.” Warsaw and Berlin were moving “hand in hand on key issues,” especially in securing NATO’s eastern flank against potential Russian aggression. Following the meeting between Tusk and Merz, the German-Polish government consultations continued with a joint session of both cabinets. Ministers of the interior, defense, and economy from both countries took part.
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