Kerry begins European visit in Poland after Middle East-Africa trip WARSAW, Poland, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The meeting Tuesday of the top U.S. and Polish diplomats in Warsaw confirms the countries' good relationship, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said. "An example of the close link can be the political cooperation and our military cooperation," Sikorski said through a translator during joint media availability in Warsaw with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. What's more, we have common economic interest and we conduct democratic dialogue. Sikorski said the two spoke about "ongoing issues that are on the international agenda, noting that Kerry just finished a mission to the Middle East. "[We've] not only spoken about the southern neighbors of the [European Union] but also about the eastern neighbors of the [European Union]," the foreign minister said. We are approaching the Eastern Partnership Summit, and there still is the question of signing association agreement with Ukraine. Sikorski said Poland supports the signing of a free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States. Poland also is "one of the countries who think that for the sake of environment and for the sake of our economies in Europe and in Poland, we should explore and produce shale gas, and gas should flow to our ... terminal also from the United States," he said. "We applaud Poland's extraordinary leadership with respect to the environment and environmental issues," Kerry said. And it's no accident that I chose to be here in Poland for my first bilateral meeting in Central Europe. In less than 25 years after democracy was restored in the former Communist country, Kerry said, "the Polish people have turned the country into an economic and security powerhouse, and the progress that has been made is really quite extraordinary. And the impact of Poland is really felt now throughout the trans-Atlantic community.