Poland/France: Warming ties?

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected in Poland this week. Improving France's relations with the new Central and Eastern European member states, following his predecessor's (Jacques Chirac's) condescending attitude towards the region, is one of the objectives of his presidential term.

Sarkozy makes frequent references to his Eastern European roots and claims to have been instrumental in brokering a deal with Warsaw at last June's EU summit to end the deadlock over the EU constitution, now the Lisbon Treaty. However, some of his other EU initiatives, like his vision for a Mediterranean Union -- now largely watered down -- that would have excluded non-coastal states like Poland, were received with great scepticism in Warsaw.

This week's talks are likely to include EU- Ukraine relations. Sarkozy will be chairing the upcoming EU-Ukraine summit, as France will be holding the rotating EU presidency at that time. Kiev is keen to get a firm EU accession promise. France is opposed to large new members, but has no problems with Balkan countries joining. The government is planning to introduce a law making it compulsory for France to hold a referendum on large countries wanting to join the EU, such as Turkey and Ukraine. By contrast, Poland, for both economic and political reasons, largely supports Kiev's EU aspirations. Moreover, on Monday , Warsaw will present its visions for an ‘Eastern Partnership’ -- to cover the EU’s entire Eastern neighbourhood -- which somewhat mirrors Sarkozy’s Mediterranean project.

In an effort to get as much EU support as possible for what is left of his Mediterranean Union, Sarkozy, despite his reservations, is likely to support Warsaw’s Eastern plans.