Berlin sets conditions for Tusk: “If he wants to be heard, he must support Germany”

The German press has decided to lecture Donald Tusk on what policy he should pursue toward Ukraine and his own president. Sueddeutsche Zeitung not only attacks Karol Nawrocki, calling him “right-wing nationalist”, but even tells the head of the Polish government that if he wants to be taken seriously in Berlin, London, and Paris, he should clearly side with Ukraine and – Germany.

After the President of Ukraine at the end of May named one of his country’s military units “Heroes of the UPA”, a meeting of the Chapter of the Order of the White Eagle was convened for Monday to address, among other things, President Nawrocki’s proposal to revoke Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Order.

“The president will make a decision at the appropriate time” – said Rafał Leśkiewicz, spokesperson for the head of state, after the meeting. The decision of the president is still pending.

A day before the Chapter’s meeting, Donald Tusk published a post that reflected yet another change of stance on the dispute between Warsaw and Kyiv. The head of government called for a conversation between the presidents of Poland and Ukraine.

“Since diplomacy has brought no results, I am publicly appealing to President Karol Nawrocki and Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a direct and honest conversation. Before emotions destroy our solidarity, which was born in the face of the Russian threat” – the head of government wrote on Sunday.

The post appeared on Tusk’s X profile shortly after he had publicly expressed support for the decision of the President of the Republic of Poland:

What will Tusk do? Germans furious at the Polish prime minister

The shifting messages from Donald Tusk regarding the dispute over Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision did not go unnoticed by German media. Interestingly, this time the criticism from across the Oder was not directed solely at Karol Nawrocki. Sueddeutsche Zeitung also decided to discipline the Polish prime minister, accusing him of excessive caution and a lack of a clear stance in support of Ukraine and Germany.

According to the German daily, relations between Warsaw and Kyiv are more complicated than Ukraine’s relations with Germany and Western European countries. One reason is said to be – according to the newspaper – the stance of President Karol Nawrocki.

“The right-wing nationalist president and declared opponent of Tusk’s government wants to strip the President of Ukraine of the Order of the White Eagle,” the Sueddeutsche Zeitung writes.

The German newspaper does admit that Zelenskyy’s decision to name a military unit after the UPA heroes can be seen as a lack of sensitivity toward Polish history. At the same time, it expects Donald Tusk to close the issue as quickly as possible and not allow the dispute with Ukraine to escalate.

“Nawrocki seeks escalation, while Tusk too often allows himself to be driven by political opponents. Since Nawrocki also includes Germany among Poland’s enemies, Tusk, just in case, refrains from appearances with German politicians or joint military projects,” the daily states.

However, the German guidance for the Polish prime minister does not end there. The newspaper’s correspondent directly suggests that Tusk should clearly side with Berlin and Kyiv if he wants to maintain his influence on the international stage.

“If Tusk wants to be listened to more there, he must also clearly take the side of the allies he demands attention and trust from at home – Ukraine, and also Germany,” concludes the author of the article.

In this way, the German daily not only assesses Polish domestic politics but also sets political expectations for the Polish prime minister, indicating how he should act in a dispute involving his own president.