President Joe Biden is being feted by French President Emmanuel Macron with a state visit Saturday (June 8) as the two allies aim to show off their partnership on global security issues and move past trade tensions.
Biden and Macron attended ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday and met separately the following day with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris. The leaders both used those engagements used to underscore the urgent need to support KyivB次元官网网址檚 fight against RussiaB次元官网网址檚 invasion.
But Macron and Biden have often chafed at the pace of support for Ukraine, especially as the United States, by far the largest contributor to KyivB次元官网网址檚 defense, was forced to pause aid shipments for months while congressional Republicans held up an assistance package.
The state visit began with a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, including a wreath-laying at FranceB次元官网网址檚 tomb of the unknown soldier, and a military parade along the Champs-脡lys茅es leading to the 脡lys茅e Palace, where the two held official meetings and were delivering public statements. Later, there is a state dinner at the palace for Biden and his wife, Jill.
B次元官网网址淧roud to be here,B次元官网网址� Biden said at the Arc de Triomphe. B次元官网网址淎 great honor.B次元官网网址�
Biden hosted Macron in December 2022 at the White House for the first state visit of his presidency as the COVID-19 pandemic receded.
Jill Biden flew back to Paris aboard a U.S. government plane after spending Friday in Delaware to support their son, Hunter Biden, who is standing trial on federal gun charges.
As the presidentB次元官网网址檚 trip draws to a close, the far right is likely to emerge as one of the biggest winners in SundayB次元官网网址檚 European Parliament election while MacronB次元官网网址檚 pro-European Union movement is flagging.
A top French official said Macron and Biden have a friendly and warm relationship and stressed that the U.S. president is spending five days in France, reflecting the importance he attaches to the visit. The official spoke anonymously, in line with customary practices for MacronB次元官网网址檚 office.
The official said the U.S. presidential campaign was not a factor in the discussion.
Macron hosted then-President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee this year, for Bastille Day in 2017, and he came to Washington for a state visit in 2018 before their relationship soured.
U.S. and French officials said Ukraine would be at the top of SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 agenda, but the centerpiece of the weekend event would be the strength of the alliance, fortified at Normandy 80 years ago, but with roots far deeper.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 probably a good thing for us to remember that we didnB次元官网网址檛 win our independence either without some foreign help or foreign assistance, specifically from France,B次元官网网址� White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Friday.
Max Bergmann, a former U.S. State Department official who leads Europe research at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the U.S.-French relationship is strong despite occasional disagreements.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 always tension in Franco-American relations because the French try to do stuff,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e bold, they throw up proposals, and that leads to some friction when we push back.B次元官网网址�
For example, he said, France proposed putting Western trainers on the ground in Ukraine, leading to questions of whether this is B次元官网网址渞eally giving Ukraine a major, tangible benefitB次元官网网址� or has the B次元官网网址減otential to be escalatory and dangerous.B次元官网网址�
Regarding Macron, Bergmann said, B次元官网网址渉eB次元官网网址檚 the one that pushes the boundaries and throws up ideas.B次元官网网址�
Kirby said the two leaders would have an announcement Saturday on deepening maritime law enforcement cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. They also were to discuss economic and climate challenges.
While praising the Biden administrationB次元官网网址檚 commitment to supporting Ukraine, Macron said earlier this year that Europe must become B次元官网网址渃apable of defending its interests, with its allies by our side whenever they are willing, and alone if necessary,B次元官网网址� arguing the continent should rely less on the U.S. for its own defense.
He also warned Western powers against showing any signs of weakness to Russia as he repeatedly said that sending Western troops into Ukraine to shore up its defense should not be ruled out.
The leaders were also set to discuss their efforts to bring about a cease-fire to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, as the U.S. and Israel await HamasB次元官网网址� response to a Biden-promoted cease-fire proposal that would allow a surge of humanitarian assistance into the territory.
Macron is expected to raise U.S. trade practices that he has often criticized, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which favors American-made climate technology such as electric vehicles. Macron said the U.S., like China, has B次元官网网址渄ecided not to respect the rules of global tradeB次元官网网址� by shoring up protections and subsidies while EuropeB次元官网网址檚 industry remains open and is stuck in overregulation.
The French official said Europe has to defend European interests, after watching the U.S. do the same with its own, but said Macron hopes to find a mutually acceptable outcome.
Gary Hufbauer, nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said trade with China is a sticking point between the U.S. and Europe, particularly France. The U.S. has been more eager to restrict trade, particularly regarding technology.
Biden is also moving toward tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and batteries, which could affect European cars that include Chinese parts.
Overall, Hufbauer said, B次元官网网址淓urope wants to maintain much more trade with China than the U.S. wants.B次元官网网址�
Chris Megerian, Zeke Miller And Sylvie Corbet, The Associated Press
