Duda’s meeting with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris also focused on bilateral cooperation in security and the protection of the EU’s external border, according to the Polish president's office.
Macron welcomed the Polish head of state at the Elysée Palace at 1 p.m., after which officials from both countries met for a plenary session over lunch, followed by a private meeting of the two presidents, Poland's PAP news agency reported.
It cited Duda’s foreign policy aide, Jakub Kumoch, as saying that “both heads of state emphasised that Poland and France are important strategic partners in the field of energy.”
Moreover, Warsaw and Paris “intend to expand this cooperation significantly, in many respects,” Kumoch told PAP.
“The presidents also discussed how to swiftly reduce tensions between Poland and EU institutions ahead of the upcoming French presidency of the bloc,” Kumoch said.
“Both Poland and France wish to see a strong EU and heal divisions within the bloc,” he added.
He also tweeted that the meeting was “an important part of President Duda’s dialogue with President Macron.”
Duda took to Twitter to thank Macron "for the invitation and a very good meeting in Paris."
"I hope this important, friendly conversation will benefit Poland, France and the EU," he said.
His office announced that Duda’s Paris trip had been planned for several weeks.
The Polish delegation to the French capital also included Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk and Deputy Environment Minister Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński.
France’s state-controlled utility EDF this month offered to build up to six nuclear reactors in Poland, with a total installed capacity of up to 9.9 GWe, according to a report.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP