Polish Prime Minister refuses to seek reparations from Germany

Poland no longer intends to demand monetary compensation from Germany for the damage caused during the Nazi occupation. This was announced by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at a press conference on May 7.

"The decision on reparations was made in communist times, we couldn't say anything then, we didn't decide. Did Germany compensate for the losses of the Second World War? No. Of course not. I am a historian and I can talk for hours about what this bill looks like, and it has never been paid," the Polish leader said during his speech, which was broadcast on the government's YouTube channel.

However, Tusk stressed that Poland "will no longer ask" for reparations from Germany. He noted that at the moment, the two European powers face new challenges regarding the conclusion of bilateral treaties and ensuring pan-European security, including against the alleged threat from Russia.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in August 2024 named a condition under which reparations could be waived. The politician suggested that the German side take a visible step towards the joint future of the two states in the form of investments in the Polish Ministry of Defense.