Both speakers made clear that the EU is the point of reference for the development of Eastern policy for both countries. At the same time, the priorities of German and Polish Eastern policy are different: Poland’s policy is focused on the Eastern Partnership countries while Germany still looks to Russia first.
For Jarosław Ćwiek-Karpowicz, there are currently three determinants for Polish Eastern policy: geographical proximity, a common heritage with Eastern neighbors, and Poland’s position in the European Union. The current Polish government has tried to improve its anti-Russian image in the EU while it supports Western standards of democracy and rule of law in the Eastern neighborhood. At the same time, it is unclear who Poland’s strategic partners are for its Eastern policy: Germany is its main partner under the framework of the Weimar Triangle, but within the Eastern Partnership it is Sweden, with additional cooperation from the Baltic States and the Višegrad group in this context. For the Polish government, the resolution of conflicts in post-Soviet countries is not a top priority.
Stefan Meister claims that Russia is still the focal point of German Ostpolitik, although we can observe a normalization and objectification of the relationship between both countries. Eastern policy is not a priority of the current German government. Aside from the Nord Stream pipeline, the German modernization partnership with Russia lacks big strategic projects. It is above all a policy of small steps and good will. The lack of rule of law and the influence of the state hinders larger German investment in Russia and thus a true modernization partnership.
Germany and Poland follow the same goals regarding the Eastern neighborhood but take different paths. Both countries are the central players for EU Eastern policy. Better coordination and increased cooperation would be beneficial for the European Union. If Germany’s Eastern policy would differentiate more between its Russia policy and its relations with Eastern neighbors, it would be more compatible with Poland’s Eastern policy. But to increase cooperation, Poland has to follow a path of normalizing relations with Russia.
