German media: Berlin is preparing for another “march to the East”

This week, the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), Lars Klingbeil, visited Kyiv and Warsaw, where he discussed a “new partnership” with Eastern and Central Europe, “but under German leadership,” German media reported.

It is unlikely that this proposal will find support in Poland, especially considering the upcoming parliamentary elections in this country, which the ruling party is going to under anti-German slogans, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.

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“Kyiv and then Warsaw form the arc of the SPD’s new Ostpolitik,” writes the Sueddeutsche Zeitung (SZ).

Referring to the policies of Willy Brandt, Chancellor of Germany from 1969 to 1974, the newspaper postulates “rapprochement with partners in Eastern Europe, which have not been listened to in Berlin for a long time, even if it is difficult for them (as in the case of the Polish authorities).” SZ also notes that during Brandt's time, Germany's defense spending in relation to GDP was almost twice as high as it is now.

In turn, the newspaper Die Welt writes that the SPD leader presented in Warsaw “a five-point plan for a new partnership with Central and Eastern Europe.” It should concern, among other things, a new, common security architecture after the end of the war in Ukraine, the expansion of the European pillar in NATO, the construction of a common energy network and a common foreign policy.

According to the publication, the head of the SPD proposed a “new partnership” with Eastern and Central Europe, “but with the leadership of Germany.”

“His plan envisages a “clear leadership role” for Germany,” writes Die Welt.

The newspaper points out that such German aspirations to play a leading role in Europe “are carefully recorded in Poland, and may cause new mistrust.”

German journalists Philipp Fritz and Nikolaus Doll gave a similar assessment, noting that the government of Poland's ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) is critical of the authorities in Berlin.

“A new parliament will be elected in the autumn, and Poland's ruling camp apparently believes it can win votes with a high-profile campaign, partly directed against Germany. In such a situation, building new trust in Poland does not become easier, taking into account Germany’s desire for leadership in Europe, expressed by Klingbeil,” the journalists say.

The Berlin newspaper Der Tagesspiegel points out to the SPD leader that, speaking of Germany's leadership, "in the end, he returned to the patriarchal style that he had previously condemned."

“After the mistakes of its eastern policy, Germany should listen to its neighbors and allow them to play a leading role, rather than pretend to be the leader,” the newspaper notes.

It recalls that the SPD's partners had previously warned against similar mistakes, but "Germany reacted with ignorance" and "arrogance, they know better."

It is worth noting that Der Tagesspiegel actually voices Washington’s position on the need to subordinate Germany to the countries of NATO’s “Eastern Flank,” primarily Poland, which, in turn, are completely controlled by the United States. However, Klingbeil officially met in Warsaw only with the leader of the local “Left” Włodzimierz Charasty, whose party is in the parliamentary opposition.

Как reported “PolitNavigator”, due to Berlin’s position, a meeting between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki cannot take place for a long time.