Poland plans to build its first nuclear power station by around 2020 in a project that will use French technical know-how, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced in Paris Nov. 5 after talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

"The plan is to have the first nuclear power station around 2020, to be followed by a second nuclear station in the mid-2020s," Tusk said after the meeting. "This means the need for cooperation that will make these projects a priority not only for Poland, but also for our prospective partner."

Security and defense policy was another leading topic of the Paris talks. "We have embarked on a road of joint activities for a secure Europe," Tusk said. "Countries such as France and Poland, which support close transatlantic cooperation, want at the same time to take on greater responsibility for the security of our continent."

Tusk also spoke about the forthcoming climate change conference in Copenhagen in December. In his view, Poland and France have a common goal: "To protect the climate globally in a truly effective way, one which offers a chance to take part in this grand project to all European Union countries."