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 Kyiv害羞草研究所檚 fight against Russia害羞草研究所檚 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 Kyiv害羞草研究所檚 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 France害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淧roud to be here,害羞草研究所� Biden said at the Arc de Triomphe. 害羞草研究所淎 great honor.害羞草研究所�
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 president害羞草研究所檚 trip draws to a close, the far right is likely to emerge as one of the biggest winners in Sunday害羞草研究所檚 European Parliament election while Macron害羞草研究所檚 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 Macron害羞草研究所檚 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 Saturday害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 probably a good thing for us to remember that we didn害羞草研究所檛 win our independence either without some foreign help or foreign assistance, specifically from France,害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 always tension in Franco-American relations because the French try to do stuff,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e bold, they throw up proposals, and that leads to some friction when we push back.害羞草研究所�
For example, he said, France proposed putting Western trainers on the ground in Ukraine, leading to questions of whether this is 害羞草研究所渞eally giving Ukraine a major, tangible benefit害羞草研究所� or has the 害羞草研究所減otential to be escalatory and dangerous.害羞草研究所�
Regarding Macron, Bergmann said, 害羞草研究所渉e害羞草研究所檚 the one that pushes the boundaries and throws up ideas.害羞草研究所�
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 administration害羞草研究所檚 commitment to supporting Ukraine, Macron said earlier this year that Europe must become 害羞草研究所渃apable of defending its interests, with its allies by our side whenever they are willing, and alone if necessary,害羞草研究所� 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 Hamas害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渄ecided not to respect the rules of global trade害羞草研究所� by shoring up protections and subsidies while Europe害羞草研究所檚 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, 害羞草研究所淓urope wants to maintain much more trade with China than the U.S. wants.害羞草研究所�
Chris Megerian, Zeke Miller And Sylvie Corbet, The Associated Press
