Elsewhere, Magyar claims Hungary tilted Slovak 2023 election Fico’s way by shifting migrants to border; crypto scandal in Poland puts spotlight on president’s veto of law on such assets; protests in Czechia over public media reforms.
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French President Emmanuel Macron met Polish PM Donald Tusk in Gdansk on Monday, in a visit that marked a step-up in bilateral cooperation across defence, energy and emerging technologies, framed by both leaders as a response to a worsening security environment. Macron said relations were at a “historical level”, while Tusk warned that “if we do not ensure our own safety, no one will do it for us,” underscoring the need for greater European unity. The summit was the first since Poland and France signed a treaty in Nancy on enhanced cooperation on May 9, 2025, committing to closer ties across defence, economic, social and cultural policy. The agreement includes mutual security guarantees, joint efforts to counter hybrid threats, and expanded collaboration in sectors ranging from the defence industry to agriculture, science and the wider economy. In Gdansk, discussions centred on nuclear energy – including potential French involvement in Poland’s planned second nuclear power plant – as well as shared defence planning. Macron confirmed that the leaders had discussed the prospect of joint nuclear exercises as part of extending France’s deterrence umbrella to European allies. In March, France – the EU’s only nuclear-armed state – announced plans to broaden its deterrence framework, inviting eight countries, including Poland, to take part, while signalling an expansion of its own nuclear capabilities. “We began discussing this even before the Nancy treaty and will continue to work on it,” Tusk said, adding the two countries were planning regular joint exercises “on a fairly large scale”. While acknowledging the sensitivity of nuclear deployments – “Having Rafales with atomic bombs above Poland is not my dream” – he stressed that “we live in a world in which we need nuclear deterrence capabilities.” Tusk also pointed to France’s swift response to a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace in September 2025 as evidence of allied reliability, and confirmed that a permanent French military presence in Poland is already effectively in place. He added that Paris may also contribute to securing the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, a key hub for military aid going into Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Zondacrypto, one of Poland’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, is at the centre of a widening scandal that has already left hundreds of users unable to access their funds, with prosecutors estimating losses at no less than 350 million zloty (82 million euros). Investigators are examining whether clients were misled about the safety and availability of their assets, amid mounting complaints over blocked withdrawals and questions about the platform’s access to key reserves. As the investigation gathers pace, the case has spilled into an increasingly bitter political dispute over regulation and responsibility. At the heart of it is President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to twice veto a government-backed law on crypto assets, which would have expanded the powers of Poland’s financial watchdog to intervene in risky or opaque offerings. Nawrocki has defended his vetoes, arguing the proposed framework amounted to overregulation and would have failed to prevent the kind of problems now emerging. “I do not regret this veto for a second,” he said, placing the onus on the government and suggesting that if the authorities had prior warning signs, they should have alerted investors earlier. The government tells a different story. “The president’s determination to protect Zondacrypto was stronger than the interests of Polish citizens,” government spokesperson Adam Szłapka said, arguing that the blocked legislation had been designed precisely to shield investors from such large-scale losses. Tusk went further, linking the platform’s rapid rise to opaque financing and political connections on the right – claims that the opposition rejects.
