French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened Monday in Gdansk, the historic Baltic port city, for the first formal Franco-Polish summit, building on a friendship and enhanced cooperation treaty the two countries signed last year. The summit, which brought together foreign, defence, energy, and culture ministers from both sides, is focused on strengthening European defence amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and growing uncertainty about American commitment to the continent. "We have very similar views on how to build Europe's strength, the sovereignty of Poland, of France, and of Europe," Tusk said ahead of the visit.
At the heart of discussions is the possibility of a Polish role in France's nuclear deterrent, a concept Macron first outlined publicly in a speech at the Île Longue submarine base in March. Under what is being described as an "advanced nuclear deterrence partnership," Polish forces could contribute conventional capabilities — including early warning systems, air defence, and deep-strike capacity — while France retains full and sovereign authority over any decision to use nuclear weapons. The two countries are also expected to sign a partnership on a joint military communications satellite project involving French, Polish, and other European operators, as Poland continues to develop its own capabilities in that domain.
The summit also touches on Macron's push for "European preference" in defence procurement, a policy that has created friction with eastern European allies. Poland, while now led by the pro-European Tusk following his 2023 electoral victory, has placed enormous orders for American military hardware, including F-35 fighter jets, Apache helicopters, Patriot missile systems, and Abrams tanks. Warsaw's defence spending is among the highest in NATO, expected to surpass 4.8 percent of GDP in 2026. Poland's nationalist President Karol Nawrocki — a political rival of Tusk — has opposed Warsaw's participation in the EU's SAFE defence funding programme, citing concerns about national independence. Tusk, while acknowledging that Washington's strategic posture toward Europe has shifted, stressed that Polish-American and Euro-American ties remain important.
Beyond defence, the agenda includes Poland's energy transition: the country is building its first nuclear power plant, and France's EDF is hoping to win a contract for a second facility. The visit also has a strong cultural dimension, with the inaugural Geremek Prize — honouring an individual who has strengthened Franco-Polish friendship — to be awarded, and a meeting scheduled with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Wałęsa, the former leader of the Solidarity movement.
The choice of Gdansk as host is rich with symbolism. The city, situated roughly 150 kilometres from Kaliningrad — a Russian exclave wedged between Poland and the Baltic states and home to Russian Iskander missiles — was the birthplace of the pro-democracy Solidarity trade union movement that helped bring down Soviet rule in Poland. Macron began his visit at a nearby French military cemetery, continuing a tradition observed by previous French presidents. The location underscores both the historical depth of the Franco-Polish relationship and the acute proximity of Russian military power to Europe's eastern flank.