The former head of the Bundestag, Wolfgang Schaeuble, believes that Poland should play a leading role in the European Union together with France and Germany and create a European defense policy together with Paris and Berlin.
“Poland must finally be admitted to the leadership of European integration as an equal and equally important member state like the French and Germany. Poland should be treated this way as soon as possible, it always deserved it. We cannot miss this opportunity, “Schaeuble said in an interview with the Sunday issue of Die Welt -” Welt am Sonntag. ”
The CDU politician expressed regret that French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not invite Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to leave for Kiev in mid-June. “A completely different signal would go out into the world if Poland, Germany and France were to come together in Kiev,” he stressed.
Defense policy is a common task for Poland, France and Germany
According to Schaeuble, Poland plays a leading role in European defense policy, which became clear to everyone after Russia’s attack on Ukraine. “Together with Warsaw and Paris, Berlin could work to ensure that the European defense system is not an alternative to NATO, but a complement to it,” he explained. In his opinion, Europe needs its own nuclear deterrence potential. In return for France to make this potential available, Germany should increase its financial contribution to deterrence.
Schaeuble also drew attention to the importance of the issue of assistance to refugees. “We cannot wait for everyone to accept the refugee distribution (between EU countries),” he stressed. “Who does not want to cooperate, must think about a different way of joining” – he added. In this context, the CDU politician referred to Poland again. “I must also praise the Poles here. Their readiness to help Ukrainian refugees is great, ”said the Christian Democrats.
Will Poland accept the partnership with Russia?
Schaeuble recalled that he has long been a supporter of introducing the principle of majority voting in the EU. He admitted that the current policy of Germany towards Russia “is not a reason to be proud”. At the same time, he said that he believed in partner relations with Russia if it respected the principles of partnership cooperation.
“Poland will also surely agree that the partnership with Russia, which recognizes the renunciation of power, inviolability of borders and fundamental principles of international law, is right from a political point of view,” he said.
After the CDU joined the opposition after the lost parliamentary elections in September 2021, Schaeuble does not hold any state functions. The 79-year-old CDU MP is the most experienced German politician. He has been a deputy since 1972. In the past, he headed the ministries of internal affairs and finance. Until last year, he was the chairman of the Bundestag.
Clown school complete?
A controversial figure. He’s a wise politician, a moderating figure in a lot of issues, has a very european point of view and was mentor to a lot of younger politicians across all parties.
He’s also a goddam conservative, a borderline crook, a history of corruption, a law and order guy reducing privacy laws.
Kind of a german Kissinger – a lot of merits, a lot of dirt.
My good man, Poland’s barely managing being in the leadership of Poland, let’s not do anything rash.
Or maybe we can finally stop talking about the idea of single nations “leading” the EU. The EU has specific institutions and processes to make decisions. The term “leading nation of the EU” does not occur in this system.
I second this.
No, thanks honestly. Poland can’t even run Poland let alone EU.
No thanks. I appreciate their actions on Ukraine and Russia but no.
This is something I did not expect to hear.
Man, I wouldn’t trust our politicians to run a fucking strip club, let alone a political union of some 450 million people
Well it’s ranked 5th on size and population, 6th on GDP – it makes sense. If only the government was somewhat competent internally and had any capacity for diplomacy (with partners other than Orban)… Let’s hope something changes next year. Fingers crossed for a pro-EU, EPP+RE coalition.
Well, I think this is one of the problem in the EU, we still think as nations.
I don’t think I will see the day (and maybe no one will see it) when the European Parliament will be actually a parliament and not a joke paid by taxpayers
Schaeuble reconfirming his idiocy once again, as we didn’t already know.
I’m from Poland.
Is this guy high?
Well, we in Ukraine are crazy about Poland and we will do whatever Poland asks without any problems.
Poland is in the leadership of the EU. It has its rotating presidency, representatives in the European Parliament etc.
The same polish gov that uses EU and pro-EU opposition as a scapegoat for all the internal issues?
One of the worst politicians who was a pita for decades here. What a “genius” idea to put such an alt-right government into the EU-leadership. Not.
Is he high?
I only trust Germany, Luxembourg and France.
Dont hate on me but what makes Poland a better option than i dont know Germany or France
I love Poland. I have visited a few times and I have a few friends from there. I can’t say I equally like that government though.
You don’t get an abortion! And you don’t get an abortion! And you get to die because you can’t get an abortion! Nobody gets an abortion!
Really, I keep hearing PiS is gonna go away soon, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Until then, Poland doesn’t get to be in any leadership except the “Let’s Fuck Up Russia” committee.
Lmao, funny joke lads
No, we should not
I think we all know deep down that the US is leading EU
How realistic is it that france would relinquish sole control of their nuclear deterrent for European use (assuming centralised EU defence and foreign policy in the future)?
Polish man for emperor of Europe
Every EU country should have an equal say and no country in the EU should be “leading” the EU
An ultra conservative catholic country a leader, no thanks
Poland’s a relatively large country by Euro standards and deserves that seat at the table, a lot of the big issues the last 10 years like Russia, illegal migration etc, well, Poland’s concerns were dismissed by the leadership, but you know most people in Europe I suspect share Poland’s concerns, and rightfully so.
31 comments
The former head of the Bundestag, Wolfgang Schaeuble, believes that Poland should play a leading role in the European Union together with France and Germany and create a European defense policy together with Paris and Berlin.
“Poland must finally be admitted to the leadership of European integration as an equal and equally important member state like the French and Germany. Poland should be treated this way as soon as possible, it always deserved it. We cannot miss this opportunity, “Schaeuble said in an interview with the Sunday issue of Die Welt -” Welt am Sonntag. ”
The CDU politician expressed regret that French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Olaf Scholz did not invite Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to leave for Kiev in mid-June. “A completely different signal would go out into the world if Poland, Germany and France were to come together in Kiev,” he stressed.
Defense policy is a common task for Poland, France and Germany
According to Schaeuble, Poland plays a leading role in European defense policy, which became clear to everyone after Russia’s attack on Ukraine. “Together with Warsaw and Paris, Berlin could work to ensure that the European defense system is not an alternative to NATO, but a complement to it,” he explained. In his opinion, Europe needs its own nuclear deterrence potential. In return for France to make this potential available, Germany should increase its financial contribution to deterrence.
Schaeuble also drew attention to the importance of the issue of assistance to refugees. “We cannot wait for everyone to accept the refugee distribution (between EU countries),” he stressed. “Who does not want to cooperate, must think about a different way of joining” – he added. In this context, the CDU politician referred to Poland again. “I must also praise the Poles here. Their readiness to help Ukrainian refugees is great, ”said the Christian Democrats.
Will Poland accept the partnership with Russia?
Schaeuble recalled that he has long been a supporter of introducing the principle of majority voting in the EU. He admitted that the current policy of Germany towards Russia “is not a reason to be proud”. At the same time, he said that he believed in partner relations with Russia if it respected the principles of partnership cooperation.
“Poland will also surely agree that the partnership with Russia, which recognizes the renunciation of power, inviolability of borders and fundamental principles of international law, is right from a political point of view,” he said.
After the CDU joined the opposition after the lost parliamentary elections in September 2021, Schaeuble does not hold any state functions. The 79-year-old CDU MP is the most experienced German politician. He has been a deputy since 1972. In the past, he headed the ministries of internal affairs and finance. Until last year, he was the chairman of the Bundestag.
Clown school complete?
A controversial figure. He’s a wise politician, a moderating figure in a lot of issues, has a very european point of view and was mentor to a lot of younger politicians across all parties.
He’s also a goddam conservative, a borderline crook, a history of corruption, a law and order guy reducing privacy laws.
Kind of a german Kissinger – a lot of merits, a lot of dirt.
My good man, Poland’s barely managing being in the leadership of Poland, let’s not do anything rash.
Or maybe we can finally stop talking about the idea of single nations “leading” the EU. The EU has specific institutions and processes to make decisions. The term “leading nation of the EU” does not occur in this system.
I second this.
No, thanks honestly. Poland can’t even run Poland let alone EU.
No thanks. I appreciate their actions on Ukraine and Russia but no.
This is something I did not expect to hear.
Man, I wouldn’t trust our politicians to run a fucking strip club, let alone a political union of some 450 million people
Well it’s ranked 5th on size and population, 6th on GDP – it makes sense. If only the government was somewhat competent internally and had any capacity for diplomacy (with partners other than Orban)… Let’s hope something changes next year. Fingers crossed for a pro-EU, EPP+RE coalition.
Well, I think this is one of the problem in the EU, we still think as nations.
I don’t think I will see the day (and maybe no one will see it) when the European Parliament will be actually a parliament and not a joke paid by taxpayers
Schaeuble reconfirming his idiocy once again, as we didn’t already know.
I’m from Poland.
Is this guy high?
Well, we in Ukraine are crazy about Poland and we will do whatever Poland asks without any problems.
Poland is in the leadership of the EU. It has its rotating presidency, representatives in the European Parliament etc.
The same polish gov that uses EU and pro-EU opposition as a scapegoat for all the internal issues?
One of the worst politicians who was a pita for decades here. What a “genius” idea to put such an alt-right government into the EU-leadership. Not.
Is he high?
I only trust Germany, Luxembourg and France.
Dont hate on me but what makes Poland a better option than i dont know Germany or France
I love Poland. I have visited a few times and I have a few friends from there. I can’t say I equally like that government though.
You don’t get an abortion! And you don’t get an abortion! And you get to die because you can’t get an abortion! Nobody gets an abortion!
Really, I keep hearing PiS is gonna go away soon, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Until then, Poland doesn’t get to be in any leadership except the “Let’s Fuck Up Russia” committee.
Lmao, funny joke lads
No, we should not
I think we all know deep down that the US is leading EU
How realistic is it that france would relinquish sole control of their nuclear deterrent for European use (assuming centralised EU defence and foreign policy in the future)?
Polish man for emperor of Europe
Every EU country should have an equal say and no country in the EU should be “leading” the EU
An ultra conservative catholic country a leader, no thanks
Poland’s a relatively large country by Euro standards and deserves that seat at the table, a lot of the big issues the last 10 years like Russia, illegal migration etc, well, Poland’s concerns were dismissed by the leadership, but you know most people in Europe I suspect share Poland’s concerns, and rightfully so.