Poland wants to take part in ‘European tank project’ – President Duda

Poland wants to take part in a project to create a European tank, Presient Andrzej Duda said on Monday. The president made the statement at a news conference with France’s President Emmanuel Macron, during the French leader’s Monday visit to Warsaw.

“We are going to talk about our participation in the project to build a European tank,” Reuters quoted Duda as saying. Poland and France discussed cooperation in the fields of defense and energy during the visit.

Macron began a two-day visit to Poland on Monday that both sides hope can improve strained relations. The visit is a “crucial” part of France’s efforts to bolster ties with European partners, Macron’s office said. It is his first official foreign visit this year. The talks are set to focus on European issues, defense, climate, the economy and energy, at a time when Poland is seeking partners for a planned nuclear power plant, AP said.

Macron has previously been critical of Poland’s right-wing government and its policies on migration, climate and reforms to the judiciary. His predecessor, Francois Hollande, cancelled a visit in 2016 after Warsaw scrapped a planned purchase of French helicopters.