Polish, German leaders hold talks in Berlin

The talks, starting at noon, were expected to focus on issues including trade, migration policy and the new EU budget.

Another thorny issue expected to be broached by Morawiecki was the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Poland has vocally opposed the controversial gas pipeline project, which is designed to supply Germany with gas from Russia via a pipeline under the Baltic Sea and to run parallel to the existing Nord Stream pipeline, circumventing Central and Eastern Europe.

The planned pipeline is “unnecessary, detrimental and divisive” and would make an all-out Russo-Ukrainian war more likely, German daily Die Welt cited Morawiecki as saying ahead of his visit to Berlin.

Asked whether his trip would be a "new opening" in relations between Poland and Germany, Morawiecki said on Friday morning: "I think that these relations are quite good in economic terms and in other areas, so we do not need a completely new opening or a reset or anything like that."

Security conference

Morawiecki was later on Friday to take part in a major security conference in Munich. The three-day meeting was to be attended by over 500 politicians and experts, including 20 national leaders and 80 defence and foreign ministers.

The main topics of the meeting were expected to be the situation in the Middle East, relations between Russia and NATO, particular between Moscow and Washington, and the migration crisis in Europe.

Polish-German business relations

Morawiecki told Poland’s PAP news agency ahead of his visit to Berlin that Polish-German business relations were “thriving” and that Poland was one of the most important trading partners for Germany.

Meanwhile, Poland and Germany differ on issues such as mandatory refugee quotas, Morawiecki told PAP.

(pk)

Source: IAR/PAP