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The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Macron says state visit to UK ‘significant for Europe' as he meets royals
Update: Date: 2025-07-08T12:13:02.000Z Title: Emmanuel Macron Content: State visit will involve events with pageantry but is also scheduled to include an Anglo-French summit and other meetings with Keir Starmer Jakub Krupa Tue 8 Jul 2025 13.13 BST First published on Tue 8 Jul 2025 08.39 BST From 11.58am BST 11:58 French president said his state visit in Britain was 'an important moment' for both nations, as the two countries want to 'explore new means of cooperation' to face 'major challenges of our time,' such as AI, defence, migration, nuclear, and security. Here is his post in full: 'I am arriving in the United Kingdom for a State Visit, followed by a Franco-British summit. An important moment for our two nations. The United Kingdom is a strategic partner, an ally, a friend. Our bond is longstanding, forged by History and strengthened by trust. Together, we will address the major challenges of our time: security, defence, nuclear energy, space, innovation, artificial intelligence, migration, and culture. These are all areas in which we seek to act together and deepen our cooperation in a concrete, effective, and lasting way. This is also a significant moment for our Europe. The willingness expressed by the United Kingdom to strengthen ties with the European Union is a powerful signal — one that I welcome. It commits us collectively to explore new means of cooperation that respect our mutual interests. There is so much we can build together: for the stability of our continent, for our shared prosperity and competitiveness, and for the protection of our democracies. Our joint efforts to support Ukraine — where the security of our continent is at stake — our industrial projects with EDF, our cooperation in space and joint military work are all concrete examples that show how vibrant and forward-looking our partnership is. French and British: two free and proud peoples who never give up. That is what unites us, beyond any official texts. That is what binds us.' Updated at 12.01pm BST 1.13pm BST 13:13 Jakub Krupa You can follow our live stream of events during Macron's state visit at the top of the blog, and I will bring you more updates throughout the afternoon. 1.12pm BST 13:12 Back to Britain, French president is now in Windsor, meeting Britain's King Charles III. Reuters noted that Macron, treated to a British state visit for the first time, enjoys a strong personal relationship with the king, and there were smiles as the pair met alongside their wives Brigitte and Queen Camilla, watched over by soldiers on horseback, in ceremonial uniform of blue tunics and scarlet plumes. Charles is expected to emphasise 'the multitude of complex threats' both countries face when he speaks at the castle later. Accompanied by heir to the throne Prince William, and his wife, Princess Catherine, the group climbed into several horse-drawn carriages for a procession in Windsor which finished in the medieval castle's courtyard, west of London. Reuters added that before heading to London to address parliament, Macron joined Charles to inspect the Guard of Honour. He was due to have lunch with the family and tour the Royal Collection, paintings and furniture amassed by the Windsors over the centuries. 1.08pm BST 13:08 Luke Harding in Kyiv Meanwhile, Kyiv has said it is seeking to clarify details after Donald Trump announced late on Monday that US weapons deliveries would resume just days after they were halted by the Pentagon, stressing that it needed 'predictability' in supplies from Washington. The ministry of defence in Kyiv said in a statement on Tuesday that it had not received official notification of the change in policy and it was 'critically important' for Ukraine to maintain 'stability, continuity and predictability' in the provision of arms, especially air defence systems. The statement added: 'We are grateful to the United States for all its support and highly appreciate the efforts of American partners aimed at achieving genuine peace.' Speaking at the White House, Trump on Monday said he would send 'more weapons' to Ukraine, adding that he was 'disappointed' in Russia's president Vladimir Putin (9:39). 'We're gonna send some more weapons we have to them. They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard now,' Trump said, alongside a US and Israeli delegation. 1.05pm BST 13:05 Separately, EU finance ministers completed the final steps on Tuesday for Bulgaria to become the 21st member of the euro zone from January 2026, including setting the conversation rate of the Bulgarian lev to the euro, Reuters reported. Bulgaria will join the single currency at the start of next year at a rate of one euro to 1.95583 lev. Bulgaria now has just under six months to prepare the technical transition. EU finance ministers last month gave formal support to the Bulgaria joining the euro after positive assessments of the country's readiness from the European Commission and the European Central Bank. It was also be endorsed by EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on 26 June. The accession of Bulgaria into the euro zone will leave only six of the 27 EU countries outside the single currency area: Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Denmark, and none of them have plans to join, Reuters noted. 12.49pm BST 12:49 Lisa O'Carroll Staying with German voices for a moment, the country's finance minister Lars Klingbeil has said the EU is 'ready to take countermeasures' against the US if it cannot reach a fair deal with Donald Trump. Germany has been pushed hard for a quick deal but concerns are emerging among member states that the EU does not walk into a bad deal. 'We want a deal with the Americans, but I will tell you this clearly, the agreement needs to be fair. And if we don't manage to reach a fair deal with the US, then the EU must take countermeasures in order to protect our economy. The US tariffs threaten jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. This trade war hurts us all and must be ended quickly,' Klingbeil told the Bundestag on Tuesday morning. His remarks come after the Swedish finance minister Elisabeth Svantesson described the offer from the US of a 10% tariff on most EU exports in exchange for some concessions on cars, aviation and medical devices, as 'really bad' (11:31). The 10% tariff is five times the average tariff EU goods attracted before Trump took office this year. Updated at 12.50pm BST 12.41pm BST 12:41 Deborah Cole in Berlin The German foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Berlin after a Chinese warship used a laser to target a German aircraft taking part in an EU operation helping to protect shipping in the Red Sea. Der Spiegel, a German news outlet, reported that the incident off the coast of Yemen involved a German reconnaissance plane stationed in Djibouti that had been chartered for the operation. It can carry up to four soldiers. According to the report, the laser incident occurred when the aircraft approached a Chinese frigate. Breaking with common practice, the crew of the Chinese ship allegedly did not establish contact via a distress frequency. It was not immediately clear whether the German plane sustained any damage and was being inspected, according to Der Spiegel. The incident has meant there is little air traffic in the region. Read full story here: 12.06pm BST 12:06 We now have a bit more detail on the incident behind Germany's decision to summon the Chinese ambassador to the foreign ministry (10:54) Reuters reported that Germany's defence ministry said the aircraft, taking part in the EU's ASPIDES mission which protects international sea routes in the Red Sea, had been contributing a Multi-Sensor Platform, or 'flying eye' for reconnaissance of the area since October. A Chinese warship, which had been encountered several times in the area, had laser targeted the aircraft with no reason or prior communication during a routine mission flight, said a ministry spokesperson. The incident took place at the beginning of July. 'By using the laser, the warship put at risk the safety of personnel and material,' said the spokesperson, adding the mission flight was aborted as a precaution and the aircraft landed safely at a base in Djibouti. Reuters noted that China has previously denied accusations of firing or pointing lasers at US planes. Incidents involving a European Nato member and China are more unusual. 12.02pm BST 12:02 Jakub Krupa I will closely follow Macron's visit in Britain, and bring you all the key lines on things that matter, including from his address to the UK parliament later today. In the meantime … 11.58am BST 11:58 French president said his state visit in Britain was 'an important moment' for both nations, as the two countries want to 'explore new means of cooperation' to face 'major challenges of our time,' such as AI, defence, migration, nuclear, and security. Here is his post in full: 'I am arriving in the United Kingdom for a State Visit, followed by a Franco-British summit. An important moment for our two nations. The United Kingdom is a strategic partner, an ally, a friend. Our bond is longstanding, forged by History and strengthened by trust. Together, we will address the major challenges of our time: security, defence, nuclear energy, space, innovation, artificial intelligence, migration, and culture. These are all areas in which we seek to act together and deepen our cooperation in a concrete, effective, and lasting way. This is also a significant moment for our Europe. The willingness expressed by the United Kingdom to strengthen ties with the European Union is a powerful signal — one that I welcome. It commits us collectively to explore new means of cooperation that respect our mutual interests. There is so much we can build together: for the stability of our continent, for our shared prosperity and competitiveness, and for the protection of our democracies. Our joint efforts to support Ukraine — where the security of our continent is at stake — our industrial projects with EDF, our cooperation in space and joint military work are all concrete examples that show how vibrant and forward-looking our partnership is. French and British: two free and proud peoples who never give up. That is what unites us, beyond any official texts. That is what binds us.' Updated at 12.01pm BST 11.44am BST 11:44 Aaaand… there he is! French president has now got off his plane and got into a state Bentley as he moves towards Windsor to formally begin his three-day state visit in Britain. As my colleagues Peter Walker and Jon Henley explain, the state visit will involve events with royals and other pageantry but is also scheduled to include an Anglo-French summit and other meetings with Starmer. As part of the visit, France is expected to announce it will allow police to intervene in shallow waters up to 300 metres from shore in order to stop small boats leaving. It would help prevent 'taxi-boats', which pick people up in the water rather than launching from the beach with passengers on board. And Britain said that French police slashing the boats of people smugglers was not 'pleasant' but the right tactic, with a UK cabinet minister saying the government welcomed the new approach from the authorities. Updated at 12.01pm BST 11.35am BST 11:35 French president is about to be get off his plan at RAF Northolt in a moment, beginning his three-day state visit in Britain during which he will meet with King Charles, UK prime minister Keir Starmer, and address the UK parliament. I will bring you lots more on the visit shortly. 11.14am BST 11:14 The Kremlin said that it would take time to clarify what weapons the United States is supplying and will supply to Ukraine after president Donald Trump said Washington would have to send more arms to Kyiv (9:39), Reuters reported. But at the same time Russia warned that sending arms to Ukraine only serves to prolong the conflict, AFP added. 'It is obvious of course that these actions probably do not align with attempts to promote a peaceful resolution,' Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying in a briefing. 11.13am BST 11:13 Jakub Krupa Let's leave the EU for a moment, as we're getting the Kremlin's reaction to the overnight news that the US will offer more defensive weapons to Ukraine to help it fight against the Russian aggression. 10.51am BST 10:51 Jennifer Rankin in Brussels The EU is 'working flat out' to secure a trade deal with the US, but was ready to retaliate if talks failed, the European official leading talks with Donald Trump's administration has said. The EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič told the European parliament that the EU was continuing 'to engage closely with our US counterparts on the tariffs placed on European goods'. Šefčovič said: 'I want to assure you that we are working flat out to secure a fair and mutually beneficial negotiated solution, but we need to be prepared for all outcomes and be ready to rebalance if necessary.' EU officials have long said they prefer an agreement, but insist they are ready to 'rebalance' with counter-tariffs on US goods if talks break down. The EU suspended tariffs targeting €21bn US goods to give a chance to current talks. It is also preparing tariffs on up to €95bn of other US exports to the bloc, although the final total would likely be smaller, if ever agreed. 10.31am BST 10:31 Lisa O'Carroll Speaking of trade, the Swedish finance minister has said the tariff deal being offered to the EU by Donald Trump's is 'really bad'. Elisabeth Svantesson's remarks on her way into a summit of finance ministers in Brussels underlines divisions in the bloc over how to approach negotiations during the three-week extension period granted last night by Washington. Asked what she thought of the US offer, which is believed to include some concessions on cars, wines and spirits exports, she was blunt. 'Offer is not a word I would use to describe this,' said Svantesson. At the same time she seemed resigned to having to accept a basic 10% tariff – five times more than the pre Trump average on EU exports – when the new negotiating period expires on 1 August. 'It is the Commission that is driving this, but now I think we just have to prepare ourselves for at least 10 percent being what we will have. Do I think that's good? No, it's really bad. But we have to know what applies.' She said the uncertainty was holding back the Swedish economy saying that was one reason to have a quick deal, as demanded by the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz. But she insisted the EU should not accept a bad deal. Some believe an offer by the US to reduce tariffs to those car manufactures who have plants in the US will result in the deindustrialisation of Europe, with huge job losses in a key sector. 'We support taking a tough stance against the US. We cannot stand with our hats in our hands and thank them for an 'offer' of a 10 percent tariff.' The European Commission said on Monday it was working on 'all cylinders' to try to find a solution by tomorrow, the original deadline for talks. 'Exactly how we will respond together is something we will decide together. But I want the Commission to be tougher and more straightforward because that is what is needed. We cannot drag this out indefinitely,' said Svantesson in Brussels. 10.24am BST 10:24 Turning to 'a competitive and green Europe,' Frederiksen warns Europe is 'falling behind' rivals and calls for renewed urgency in 'reducing burdens on businesses, citizens and public authorities.' 'We need to boost our ability to innovate, develop and produce the technologies of tomorrow, and we need to do it with urgency and ambition,' she adds. But she argues this must not come at the cost of long-term climate policies. She mentions extreme temperatures affecting the continent in recent days, saying Europe still 'needs to keep pushing for an ambitious global green transition.' Moving on to trade, in a thinly veiled swipe at Trump, she says: 'We can use our trade policy to diversify and make supply chains more robust. And while others build tariff walls, we should form new trade partnerships.' She ends with a direct appeal to EU lawmakers, saying: Let's build a stronger Europe together. 10.20am BST 10:20 Danish prime minister Frederiksen also warns about migration 'challenging Europe, affecting people's lives, and the cohesion of our societies.' She says Europe needs to 'strengthen our external borders' as she says 'European citizens have a right to feel safe in their own countries.' She calls for a reform of EU rules to 'make the process of returns easier and … more efficient.' She also directly accuses Russia of 'using migration as a weapon at our eastern border.' 10.15am BST 10:15 Boiling it down to two overriding priorities of the Danish EU presidency, Frederiksen says Denmark's focus will be on 'a secure Europe' and 'a competitive and green Europe.' 'First of all, we must take responsibility for our own security. Cutting our defence spending in the past 30 years was a huge mistake, [that] we shall never repeat. We cannot take lightly the threat from the East. Russia's military rearming means that they could, within two to five years, pose a credible military threat to Europe and Nato. And Russia is no longer working alone. We see it in Ukraine. North Korea providing soldiers and ammunition missiles from Iran and military technology from China. We must act now to respond to this threat.' She also says Europe be ready to defend itself from 2030, and learn from Ukraine on how to develop 'an impressive defence industry'. She also makes it clear that Europe 'has to continue our support for Ukraine in every way we can, as Europeans, for as long as it takes.' Danish PM adds: 'Our donations are not a gift and they are not charity. They are a direct defence of Europe, our life and our freedom.' She calls for 'the toughest possible sanctions' on Russia, and calls for support to enlarge the EU with Ukraine, Moldova and western Balkan countries. 10.10am BST 10:10 In a strong paragraph outlining her intellectual vision for Europe, Denmark's Frederiksen says: 'Europe is first and foremost an idea. It is the way we think. Our fundamental values, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, our firm belief in progress, science and common sense, that we always seek to move make tomorrow better than today, our social model, that we are free to think as we want, believe what we want, and speak as we see fit. These are the fundamental ideas on which our continent is built, and they run in the blood of all Europeans. Europe is cooperation, discussions and difficult compromises. But above all, Europe is a magnificent, rich and diverse continent that has managed to rise again and again and in a time where fundamental values are being questioned, the response from our side needs to be firm and to be clear, we must in every way possible, be willing to protect our democracies, our freedom and rights and our prosperity.'
CNN
5 days ago
- Business
- CNN
King Charles to emphasize bonds between UK and France as he welcomes Macron in first European state visit since Brexit
King Charles III will highlight the crucial bonds between the United Kingdom and France in the face of a 'multitude of complex threats' as he welcomes President Emmanuel Macron for the first state visit by a European leader since Brexit. The French leader's three-day visit to the UK kicks off on Tuesday and sees Charles and Queen Camilla host Macron and his wife Brigitte at Windsor Castle, with a glittering banquet at the royal residence in the evening. In his toast on Tuesday evening, the King is expected to praise the strength of Anglo-French relationship as 'our two countries face a multitude of complex threats, emanating from multiple directions,' according to Britain's PA Media news agency. 'As friends and as allies, we face them together,' he will say. Charles will also reflect on the 'shared history and culture between our two peoples' and express his 'awe of France's extraordinary attributes and achievements.' The Macrons were greeted off the plane by the Prince and Princess of Wales on their arrival at RAF Northolt, west of London, and will travel together to Windsor where they will be treated to a full ceremonial welcome by the King and his wife. Rolling out the red carpet for the first visit by a French president to the UK since 2008, the pomp and pageantry that Britain is known for will be on full display. The King is pulling out all the stops for Macron's visit, with a carriage procession through the streets of Windsor to the historic castle. There in the quadrangle, the French president will be met with an honor guard while the regimental band plays the French and British national anthems, followed by a lunch in the lavish State Dining Room joined by additional members of the royal family. Macron will have a busy afternoon, taking a trip into London to lay a wreath at Westminster Abbey's Grave of the Unknown Warrior before giving an address to lawmakers in the Palace of Westminster's Royal Gallery. In the days ahead, the French leader will hold several meetings with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as the pair seek to further heal the wounds after years of Brexit-fueled animosity. Their talks are expected to focus on support for defense and security cooperation as well as tackling illegal migration across the Channel. On Thursday, the pair will join a UK-France Summit at Downing Street. Support for Ukraine will also be a priority for the two leaders as they seek to build momentum around their 'Coalition of the Willing' - the European peacekeeping force created in March. They are also expected to visit a military base in northwest London where they will dial into a meeting of the informal group of nations working to bolster support for Ukraine. Both leaders have faced political challenges at home amid an increasing fractured landscape, and have suffered from decreasing popularity in recent polls. It's likely they'll be hoping the visit offers a much-needed, if fleeting, boost. Major deals on Ukraine and curbing migrant boat crossings seem unlikely but even more humble announcements would illustrate a further resetting of the relationship between the two nations. CNN's Max Foster contributed reporting to this story.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
What can we expect from this week's state visit by Emmanuel Macron?
Remarkably, given the geographical closeness and the coincidence of interest, when Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte visit Britain this week to be given the full state visit treatment, it will be the first such honour since President and Madame Sarkozy came in 2008. That such a long gap has grown is obviously due to some difficult years in the interim, caused by the run-up to, and fallout from, the Brexit referendum in 2016. It's fair to say neither country has fully recovered from the shock, but the old friendship is growing warmer… Are things warming up? Mais, oui. There have been obvious improvements that date back to Rishi Sunak's premiership. Although a Brexiteer, he sought to move away from the childish antagonism displayed by Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, his immediate predecessors. Ms Truss infamously refused to say whether Macron was a 'friend or foe', an extraordinary moment which punctured even the French president's considerable self-esteem. A row about the Aukus (Australia-UK-US) defence pact and the cancellation of an Australian order for a French submarine also soured things. King Charles was invited to Paris for his state visit, while the Windsor Framework on Northern Ireland's EU border, and the first Anglo-French summit in years, rescued relations to an extent, with Ukraine presenting an opportunity for unity of purpose. But there was more to do… What's going well? Plenty. Labour's arrival offered a further chance for what Keir Starmer called a 'reset' in relations with the EU, and France with it. This arrived in May in the shape of easier cross-border trade in food and livestock, further changes regarding Northern Ireland and some resolution of a long-running dispute over fishing rights. Ukraine continues to be a focus for cooperation, and even more so since the Trump administration downgraded Europe as a priority, put Nato on a more transactional relationship and, bluntly, switched sides on Ukraine, giving Vladimir Putin far more leeway. Starmer and Macron have emerged as joint leaders of the 'coalition of the willing' on resisting Russian aggression. They share a centrist outlook on the world, and as the two premier military powers on the continent, can, at least to some extent, make up for the loss of American commitment. What's going badly? Migration. This is proving even more intractable than Starmer assumed, and irregular migration is a constant source of domestic trouble for both leaders. The UK-France 'one in, one out' irregular migration deal also looks to be in trouble. Under this plan, the British could send back to France failed asylum seekers, in return for accepting those who have a proven, genuine claim. This is due to be front and centre during Wednesday's talks in No 10. However, some of France's EU partners on the migration 'front line' have objected to the European Commission because the deal makes it easier for other countries to return refugees to them. Malta, Cyprus, Italy, Spain and Greece have jointly stated: 'We take note – with a degree of surprise – of the reported intention of France to sign a bilateral readmission arrangement. If confirmed, such an initiative raises serious concerns for us, both procedurally and in terms of potential implications for other member states, particularly those of first entry'. Anything else? Trump. After a brief but ultimately futile bid by the president of the French Republic to become a 'Trump whisperer', there's now a slight tension between Macron's Eurocentrism and public distancing from Washington and Starmer's more pragmatic approach. For reasons, presumably, of personal chemistry, Starmer and Trump have a warm relationship denied to most of America's allies, as well as lower tariffs. This includes Macron who recently irritated Trump by saying that the Americans had left the G7 early to negotiate peace with Iran, while the real purpose was to organise some heavy bombing. As a result, the UK now has a relatively more favourable trading and general diplomatic relationship with Washington than the EU or France. The Europeans wonder whose 'side' the British are on. Starmer, in true British tradition, insists there is no choice to be made. Do such state visits make a difference? A bit. The personal diplomacy of Edward VII helped cement the Entente Cordiale, which was signed in 1904, for example, but the 1960 state visit by President de Gaulle didn't do much to erode his hostility to Britain's desperate attempts to gain membership of the then European Economic Community on favourable terms. Like the tiaras and the banquetry on display this week, there's also a certain continuity in Britain's ambiguous attitude to Europe.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on Macron's state visit: a renewed entente cordiale is good for France, Britain and Europe
In the years after the Brexit referendum, the deterioration of Anglo-French relations became one measure of the sorry disconnect between a radicalised, reckless Conservative party and any sane notion of the national interest. In 2021, a bellicose Boris Johnson sent Royal Navy frigates to patrol off the coast of Jersey in response to a dispute with Paris over fishing rights. The following year, notoriously, Liz Truss declined to say whether she considered the French president, Emmanuel Macron, to be a friend or foe to Britain. For five years, no Franco-British bilateral summits took place at all. That, thankfully, was then. France and Britain are close neighbours, nuclear powers and members of the United Nations security council. At a time of acute geopolitical instability, fuelled in part by the return of Donald Trump to the White House, it is overwhelmingly in the interests of both countries, and Europe as a whole, that a fully functioning entente cordiale is restored. The arrival of Mr Macron in London on Tuesday for a state visit – the first by a French president since 2008 – confirms the successful work done to that end by Sir Keir Starmer over the past year. In relation to strengthening European defence and security, and supporting Ukraine's ability to continue to resist Vladimir Putin, the two leaders have forged a close working relationship, which this trip will help consolidate. The symbolism of the event – Mr Macron is the first European leader to be so honoured since Brexit – will also do no harm to Sir Keir's chances of making progress with his somewhat ill-defined aspirations for a 'reset' with the EU. Much of the president's time, naturally, will be taken up with pomp, circumstance and protocol, including a state dinner at Windsor Castle and a joint address to both Houses of Parliament. A warm welcome can be expected for Mr Macron and his wife, Brigitte, from King Charles, a devout Francophile. But it also seems likely that some meaningful political business will be done. On Thursday, Sir Keir and Mr Macron will co-host a video conference with European allies to again discuss the creation of a 'reassurance force', which could be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. More immediately relevant perhaps, given the stalled status of peace negotiations with Mr Putin, will be a simultaneous focus on how to maintain Ukraine's fighting capabilities without relying on a reluctant Mr Trump. On the ever-more vexed issue of small boat crossings in the Channel, a potential pilot scheme to return irregular migrants to France in exchange for others with family connections in Britain may be unveiled. Anti-immigrant sentiment has been, for both leaders, a contributory factor to domestic political woes and falling poll ratings. But on the world stage Sir Keir and Mr Macron have responded impressively, and largely in tandem, to the challenges of a new era in which great power rivalry and strongman politics threaten to undermine liberal values and international law. It will not have been lost on Mr Trump, who will make a second state visit to Britain in the autumn, that Mr Macron has stolen a march on him this time. For a number of reasons, from the need to heal the diplomatic wounds of Brexit to sending a signal of European solidarity and resilience in turbulent times, that is as it should be.
