Prime Minister Theresa May has met with her Polish counterpart in a public show of commitment to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
The UK-Poland summit was held at Downing Street and attended by the most senior UK and Polish ministers. May met with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło over a working lunch, where they discussed Brexit, Russia and defence co-operation.
Talks involving the other ministers were expected to focus on topics ranging from foreign policy, trade and investment, and science and innovation, as well as international issues such as Russia’s actions in Ukraine and Syria.
Speaking ahead of the summit, May said: “I am determined that Brexit will not weaken our relationship with Poland, rather it will serve as a catalyst to strengthen it.
“That’s why I am hosting the first ever summit of this kind between our countries today. It marks the start of a new chapter in our relations and we will work even more closely together to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.”
May said Poland and the UK share a clear commitment to “take co-operation to the next level” and to firmly establish the UK and Poland as strategic allies in Europe.
The news comes amid continuing fears over a guaranteed supply of seasonal labour supply for the fresh produce industry, following the UK's exit from the EU. The industry currently relies on labour from eastern European countries, such as Poland.
