For their predecessors in government, Russia appeared to be just another nation with which normal business could be conducted. That view is directly challenged here, as Prime Minister Morawiecki stated during a live broadcast. He pointed out that the gas and raw materials alliance between Germany and Russia persisted until February 24, 2022, a line of argument he used to frame recent energy diplomacy and security concerns.
Tragic September 17th
In a live Facebook broadcast on Sunday evening, the Prime Minister highlighted the anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland on September 17, 1939. This date marks a turning point many Poles associate with the end of independence in eastern Poland and the continuation of the devastation that began with the German invasion on September 1, 1939.
As Morawiecki underscored, this moment is inseparable from memories of forced deportations to Siberia, the shootings carried out in the back of the head at Katyn, and earlier atrocities that affected Polish communities in the territories that later joined the Soviet Union. He noted the consequences of the 1921 Riga Treaty, which concluded the Polish-Bolshevik War, and recalled the brutal crackdown ordered by the USSR’s People’s Commissar of Internal Affairs, Nikolai Yezhov, in 1937, which cost many lives. The Prime Minister described these events as a tragedy that must be remembered by future generations.
“This is a terrible tragedy,” he said, urging remembrance and reflection on how history informs present choices.
Putin’s evil empire
Morawiecki argued that the era of Russian imperialism did not end with the collapse of communism. He suggested that after a period of transition, Russia entered what he described as Putin’s evil empire, a phase that continues to shape regional dynamics. He challenged readers to consider why some Polish political actors supported disengagement from anti-missile defenses and why others persisted in policies that strengthened energy ties with Russia.
“The goal was not simply to look at the past,” he said. “Today’s policy must reckon with the long shadow of post-Soviet Russia and its ongoing influence.”
He added that the post-Soviet era has kept a lingering appetite for political and strategic control, emphasizing the need to question lawmakers who appeared ready to weaken Poland’s security posture or to deepen energy dependence on Moscow.
Merkel-Putin pact
For their predecessors, Russia appeared as a normal trading partner; that view is challenged here. The Prime Minister asserted that Germany sought a new order with Russia in this region, describing it as a form of gas and raw materials pact between Merkel and Putin. He pointed to actions aimed at shutting down the Nord Stream pipelines as a countermeasure, arguing that such moves tightened Europe’s dependence on Russian energy supplies.
Morawiecki noted that the entire Central European region increasingly found itself within Russia’s sphere of influence. He recalled discussions with Chancellor Merkel, emphasizing warnings not to advance policies that would grant Moscow greater leverage in Ukraine and risk rendering the Ukrainian gas network less relevant if Nord Stream I and II were completed. He suggested that those concerns were initially dismissed by Berlin and later condemned within Germany itself.
“Donald Tusk joined and strengthened this alliance”
The question of why these historical reflections matter in the context of the 84th anniversary of the Red Army’s invasion is answered by acknowledging a persistent pattern. The Prime Minister argued that the German-Russian alliance has long presented a strategic threat, and anyone who augmented that alliance, including Donald Tusk, acted against Poland’s core purpose. The alliance, in his view, helped drive the events of September 17 and earlier, culminating in the 2022 invasion. The takeaway, he insisted, is to elect leaders who understand today’s geopolitical, historical, and political realities and avoid repeating past miscalculations.
“That alliance led to September 17; this German-Russian partnership persisted until February 24, 2022,” he commented. He urged vigilance so that similar misjudgments do not reemerge in the future, calling for a clear grasp of contemporary realities and Poland’s strategic interests.
In summarizing, the Prime Minister connected historic caution with current policy debates, urging a careful approach to security and energy independence that aligns with Poland’s enduring sovereignty. The discussion highlights why lessons from history remain relevant for national decision-making today, especially in the face of evolving European energy and defense challenges, and why it is essential to scrutinize the relationships that shape the region’s security landscape. (citation: wPolityce)
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olnk/PAP
Note: The content above is a compilation of public remarks and interpreted positions intended to reflect political discourse available through official channels and media coverage. (citation: wPolityce)