London - The leaders of Italy and Britain Wednesday pledged to end the European economies' dependancy on oil by pushing ahead with investment in nuclear power and alternative energy sources.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in London for talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, said Italy had "suffered from the Greens" in its ambitions to use nuclear power and he was determined to "catch up on lost time."

Brown said the debate on nuclear power in Europe had changed because of the cost of oil, a development underlined by the fact that 16 out of the European Union's 27 members "have or are getting" nuclear power.

He could not believe that the world could "move forward without a commitment to nuclear energy," said Brown.

The two leaders pledged to increase their cooperation on the energy issues, but said they also agreed that wealthy nations must increase aid to poorer countries to "ease migratory pressures."

Their talks also covered closer defence cooperation in Europe and the conflict in Georgia. They called on both Russia and Georgia to adhere to and implement the EU-brokered ceasefire plan. (dpa)