On Monday, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki will travel to Berlin to participate in the official anniversary events marking Wolfgang Schäuble’s fifty years in politics, the Prime Minister’s Chancellery announced. The visit is positioned as an opportunity to discuss energy and geopolitical developments and to coordinate support for Ukraine.
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On January 16, Morawiecki will head to Berlin to take part in the formal commemoration of Schäuble’s long political career. The gathering will also provide a platform to review the current energy landscape and regional geopolitics, as well as to plan joint efforts to assist Ukraine, according to the Prime Minister’s Chancellery.
– announced the Prime Minister’s Chancellery on Sunday.
Wolfgang Schäuble has served as president of the Bundestag, the German parliament, and has held roles including Finance Minister, Interior Minister, and Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He is widely regarded as one of Germany’s most influential figures. Delegations from various political backgrounds will attend the anniversary celebration.
The ceremony will serve as a backdrop for discreet talks on energy strategies and ongoing actions to defend Ukraine against Russian aggression, as well as to address the broader, evolving security challenges along Europe’s eastern border. The Polish government routinely engages with international leaders to discuss crucial issues surrounding Russia’s war on Ukraine, as noted by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Leopards for Ukraine
In an interview with RMF FM on Saturday, Morawiecki said he planned to raise in Berlin the topic of transferring Leopard tanks to Ukraine, engaging with representatives from different political groups. He emphasized that Poland has already decided to contribute Leopards to Ukraine.
Such a commitment was announced by Morawiecki as a matter of policy.
Asked whether he believed he could persuade German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to hand over Leopards, Morawiecki admitted uncertainty, noting that he did not expect a quick decision in the near term.
He added that the decision-making process will require longer discussions. He recalled that the Patriot air defense systems encountered a similar delay before Germany agreed to send them to Poland and subsequently to Ukraine after pressure from allies.
Morawiecki recalled a moment two months ago when Jarosław Kaczyński suggested sending Patriots to Ukraine, and observed that back then many doubted such a move. The aim, he stated, was protection for Poland through stronger support for Ukraine, a request echoed by President Zelensky.
On Wednesday, President Andrzej Duda announced in Lviv that Poland would transfer a company of Leopard tanks (roughly 10–14 vehicles) to Ukraine as part of building an international coalition. He stressed the importance of a broad coalition capable of forming a brigade-sized battlefield group.
On Friday, Paweł Szrot, head of the president’s cabinet, indicated that such a coalition already exists, including Finland and Denmark, which also operate Leopards in their armed forces. Spain, Norway, Sweden, and Germany are also involved in related discussions.
Given that Leopards are manufactured in Germany, it is critical that Berlin agrees to their transfer beyond NATO borders. German Vice-Chancellor and Green Party Minister of Economic Affairs Robert Habeck stated that Germany should not obstruct this effort.
The Pentagon has expressed support for supplying modern tanks to Ukraine, while British authorities are considering donating Challenger 2 tanks.
mly/PAP
Attribution: information compiled from Polish and European media coverage, including wPolityce reports.