Germany Rejects Polish Reparation Demands During Presidential & Chancellor Meetings
BERLIN – German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed Germany’s long-held position against Polish claims for reparations stemming from World War II damage during meetings with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on September 16, 2025. Despite Nawrocki’s insistence on the issue,german officials maintain the matter is legally settled.
Steinmeier “decidedly rejected” the reparation claims, stating the question was “legally clarified from a German perspective,” while emphasizing the continued importance of joint efforts in commemoration and remembrance. The Polish President raised the demand in subsequent talks with Chancellor merz, who confirmed the German government’s stance, according to government sources.
Nawrocki, however, publicly stated the reparation question remains open, arguing that “the amendment to Poland during the Second World War” was wrong. He expressed optimism for reaching an agreement with both Steinmeier and Merz, and reiterated a demand for 1.3 trillion euros in payments, citing “profound, well-founded scientific research” as the basis for the figure. This amount was previously quantified by a parliamentary commission linked to Nawrocki’s right-wing conservative party,PIS,three years prior.
While the reparations issue remained unresolved, Chancellor merz assured Nawrocki of Germany’s unwavering solidarity with Poland against Russian threats. He emphasized Germany’s “firm and unbreakable” support, with a high priority placed on jointly securing the Baltic Sea area and NATO’s eastern flank.
This assurance followed recent incursions into Polish airspace by Russian drones, prompting Germany to bolster military support by increasing the number of Eurofighter jets monitoring Polish airspace from two to four.
