Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron made a compelling display of their understanding and personal closeness on Thursday, vowing in unison to support Ukraine “as long as necessary” and “coordinate” their response against China, while managing their differences. For this visit with much fanfare by the President of France to America.
We will be united in opposing Russia’s brutality in Ukraine, the US president confirmed during a joint press conference with his French counterpart, who began: “We want to win together, not against the other.”
The US and French presidents have pledged to provide Ukraine with “political, security, humanitarian and economic assistance to the extent necessary,” including strengthening the country’s anti-aircraft defenses, according to a press release. Over an hour in the Oval Office at the White House.
read more: Macron, Biden and the end of the war in Ukraine
Harmonizing Green Industry Approaches
As for China, they pledged to “coordinate” their countries’ response to the “challenges” posed by the Asian giant, particularly in terms of human rights, and to “work with China on important global issues such as climate change.”
Both leaders expressed their desire to “strengthen the partnership between the US and the EU on clean energy and climate” and pledged to work to “harmonize” their approaches to the green industry. States for “Made in USA” products. Emmanuel Macron condemned the “over-aggressive” measures for European institutions.
A lavish welcome
The two men earlier reaffirmed the commitment to the alliance between the United States and France. “America could not ask for a better partner than France,” the US president said from the White House gardens.
“Our common destiny is to respond together” to the world’s challenges, the French president responded. “Our two countries are sisters in the struggle for freedom,” he said, calling on France and the United States to become “brothers” again.
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Twenty-one cannon shots, national anthems, a brass band… all under the bright winter sun: Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte were lavishly received during this state visit, carefully calibrated to show good harmony.
On his way to the Oval Office, the French president was also spotted putting his hand on Joe Biden’s shoulder… more than three times. The US president is the first head of state to be accorded such treatment since taking office in January 2021.
After the convulsions of Donald Trump’s presidency, the octogenarian Democrat is strong in strengthening ties with America’s traditional partners, including their “old ally”, a formula dedicated to Washington recruiting France.
Defeat of submarines
However, it did not start well with his French counterpart. In September 2021, the United States announced an exciting new military alliance with the United Kingdom and Australia, blowing a major submarine contract to France.
Joe Biden, without returning to the essence of the decision, recognized a “strain”. He has done everything to appease Emmanuel Macron, a process culminating in this solemn welcome to Washington, analysts say.
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Since then, another point of contention has emerged: To revive his industry and stabilize a middle class shaken by globalization, standing up to Beijing, the Democratic president has passed a particularly massive investment plan, a deflationary law that worries Europeans. . But on Thursday, he assured that job creation is not at the expense of Europe.
“Western shredding” choices
“You can solve your problem, but you will make mine worse,” Emmanuel Macron told US lawmakers, stressing the need for France to support the middle class and jobs.
These choices would “tear the West apart,” he later hammered before French society. They “can only work if there is coordination among us, if we decide together, only if we re-synchronize”.
President Macron was due to visit the State Department for lunch in the presence of Vice President Kamala Harris before attending an evening dinner at the White House on Thursday. .
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