Why Poland loves to hate Germany

Germanyand NATO Poland should be happy neighbours. Bound by close personal ties as well as €150bn ($159bn) in yearly trade, the two are key members of both the European Union and . As Russia’s invasion confronts Europe with the gravest security threat since the cold war, the pair are also, after America and perhaps Britain, Ukraine’s most vital strategic allies. Poland is the main arms conduit into Ukraine and a host to millions of its refugees. Because of their own history with Russia, Poles have been among Ukraine’s most ardent, generous and timely supporters. Germany, Europe’s richest economy, has been slower to react but is now by far the continent’s biggest contributor to the war effort.Yet on January 3rd Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Poland’s deputy foreign minister, lashed out at Germany. Calling the ostensible ally “disrespectful” and “unfriendly”, he accused Berlin of trying to turn Poland into a “vassal state”. He also called on the United Nations to intervene in support of Poland’s claims against its neighbour.