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Polish, French, German leaders to discuss Ukraine aid

14.03.2024 13:15
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk plans to discuss further support for Ukraine with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at an impromptu Weimar Triangle summit in Berlin on Friday.
Audio
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (center).
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (center). Photo: PAP/Marcin Obara

The revival of the Weimar Triangle formula of meetings, after years of dormancy, marks a renewed commitment to leveraging the group as a strategic foreign policy tool.

The Weimar Triangle, which brings together Poland, France and Germany, is experiencing a rejuvenation, Polish foreign ministry spokesman Paweł Wroński said on Wednesday.

This resurgence comes after a time when Polish-German relations were strained under the previous government in Warsaw, with analysts suggesting that Tusk's return to power may facilitate the "revitalization" of the Weimar Triangle, the Reuters news agency reported.

Tusk's meeting with Macron and Scholz in Berlin comes amid rising tensions between France and Germany, including differences over Macron's consideration of Western ground troops in Ukraine and Scholz's opposition, according to reports.

These disagreements have been described as "nuances on a technical issue" by Scholz's spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, underscoring the importance of the Weimar Triangle's role in bridging gaps over Ukraine aid, especially regarding arms supplies.

The backdrop of these discussions also includes former US President Donald Trump's threats to withhold defense against Russian aggression for NATO allies not meeting financial commitments if he is reelected president this year.

Originating in the early 1990s, the Weimar Triangle was established to support Poland's integration into the EU and has evolved to address contemporary challenges, including support for Ukraine.

Despite historical challenges and political disputes that cooled relations within the Weimar Triangle, recent engagements, including meetings between Duda, Scholz and Macron in 2022 and 2023, suggest a path toward more robust cooperation in reforming the EU and supporting Ukraine, Polish state news agency PAP reported, citing German political scientist Kai-Olaf Lang.

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Source: PAP

Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland’s Agnieszka Łaszczuk.