During a recent interview, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki reflected on Pope John Paul II’s statements about “Europe’s two lungs’”– one Western and one Eastern. He admitted that the Eastern lung is not as developed, and to make up for the disparity, there should be a focus on developing additional North-South infrastructure.
“In Europe, we have quite well developed East-West interconnections in terms of infrastructure, energy, roads, railways and so on. We do not have the same from Scandinavia down to Greece,” he said.
PM @MorawieckiM for @Newsweek?? on international issues, energy security and post-COVID recovery➡️ https://t.co/9NG0RbAgfU pic.twitter.com/JKp7MUPhwF
— Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland (@PremierRP_en) June 9, 2021
Poland’s position at the center of the region, in addition to being the largest Three Seas state, means the North-South infrastructure will fill the gap of its strategic and defense architecture. This is particularly important regarding the country’s position on the EU and NATO’s Eastern flank.
Morawiecki believes that if the Three Seas alliance enhances this much needed infrastructure, then the EU’s presence in the transatlantic community will be strengthened along with it.
“So, it’s in the interest of the United States, and in the interest of Western Europe, to strengthen this dimension, rather than fighting against it,” he said.
The prime minister was also asked about energy issues. He underlined that owing to multiple deals on gas deliveries that the supply for gas in Poland will be more than adequate in the near future. He also stated his hope that any issues around constructing the Baltic Pipeline in Denmark were only temporary, and will be overcome for the sake of Europe’s energy security.
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PM @MorawieckiM for @Newsweek?? on international issues, energy security and post-COVID recovery➡️ https://t.co/9NG0RbAgfU pic.twitter.com/A2ccrWEgSG
— Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland (@PremierRP_en) June 9, 2021
“From our point of view, we are going to be independent of Russian blackmail for the first time in our history, and this gun to our head no longer exists in terms of the pricing pressures or threats of closing the tap of gas at whatever entry point into Poland,” he stated.
Morawiecki added that this impacts not only Polish gas security, but also the integration and common strategy of the transatlantic community towards Russia.
He admitted that this strategy has recently been put under question due to the 180-degree shift in policy by the American administration on Nord Stream 2.
The prime minister declared that Poland was very disappointed with Washington’s decision, as Poland had worked closely with the American administration for years in order to slow or stop completion of Nord Stream 2.
“The primary significance is that by stopping Nord Stream 2, we were trying not to help the Russians accumulate funds for their military developments and aggressive policy. And it was quite successful until very recently,” he noted.
Morawiecki pointed out that such a sudden shift in American policy was disappointing, not only for Poland, but also for many European states.
