Germany will not go back to business-as-usual with Russia | On the Record

35 years after the signing of the Polish-German Good Neighbourship Treaty, Warsaw and Berlin are entering a new phase of cooperation. Instead of a new bilateral treaty, the two governments signed a military cooperation agreement, underscoring the growing importance of security and defence in Europe.

In this episode, former German Ambassador to Poland Rolf Nikel goes On the Record with Maciej Mikos to discuss the future of Polish-German relations, the role of historical memory, and the lessons Germany has learned from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Could Germany ever return to its pre-war relationship with Moscow?

“That chapter is closed for good,” says Nikel.

In the meantime, big European players talk with Ukraine about a potential peace deal concluded over Poland’s head. But as the former German ambassador advises, “It would be wiser to talk to Poland as well.”

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:54 New Polish–German defense cooperation amid historical expectations
03:36 Poland’s growing role in Europe
07:52 Security priorities & the Baltic region
11:51 Equality, partnership & regional influence
14:55 Historical responsibility & unresolved claims
17:59 Domestic politics & the limits of extremism
20:31 Europe after war in Ukraine, transatlantic shifts & shared Polish–German defense

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