France's Macron to visit UK as Starmer eyes 'reset' with EU
King Charles III has invited the French leader and his wife, Brigitte, on a three-day official visit during which Macron is to hold joint discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the 37th Franco-British Summit on Thursday.
Talks will focus on aid to Ukraine, joint efforts to halt illegal migration crossing the Channel, and strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.
"This is the first state visit to the United Kingdom by a European Union head of state since Brexit," the Elysee Palace said on Friday, referring to the UK's 2016 vote to leave the bloc.
"And, especially, the first since Prime Minister Starmer signalled what he called a 'reset' of relations between the United Kingdom and Europe,", it added.
There were simmering political tensions between Paris and London in the immediate aftermath of Brexit under the previous right-wing Conservative British government.
But there has been a new warmth in relations under the centre-left Labour government led by Starmer, and the two countries now lead European efforts to find peace for Ukraine.
Buckingham Palace confirmed on Friday that Macron would formally address the British Parliament on Tuesday, following in the footsteps of his predecessors, Charles de Gaulle and Francois Mitterrand.
The king will host Macron and his wife for a state banquet at his Windsor Castle residence, west of London, where the couple will also stay.
While in Windsor, Macron will privately visit St George's Chapel to lay flowers on the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
-'Reassurance force'-
During the visit, Macron and Starmer will host the 37th Franco-British Summit in London on Thursday, where they are set to discuss opportunities to strengthen defence ties between the two countries in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The agreements will be "adapted to this profoundly changed strategic reality", the Elysee Palace said, without offering further details.
Macron and Starmer will also co-chair talks bringing together countries "willing" to strengthen Kyiv's defences against Moscow.
The two leaders will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the French presidency said.
This comes after the United States, Ukraine's biggest military backer since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, said Tuesday it was halting some key weapons shipments to Ukraine.
Russia launched its largest-ever drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight on Friday.
The summit will touch upon the deployment of "a reassurance force" to Ukraine after a ceasefire and how to "increase pressure" on Russia to accept an unconditional ceasefire, the Elysee Palace said.
Another topic high on the agenda is agreeing on a strategy to halt migrants making perilous small boat crossings of the Channel, a key political issue in the UK.
As more small boats land on English shores, and the UK government comes under mounting pressure from the far right to tackle irregular migration, London has pressed Paris to do more.
In recent weeks, France said it is considering stopping migrant boats in its shallow coastal waters, though the move raises safety and legal issues.
And on Friday, the British government said it welcomed footage showing French police stopping a small boat carrying migrants from setting off across the Channel.
The French president's visit follows King Charles's state visit to France in 2023, which was widely regarded as a success that helped boost relations.
The last state visit by a French president to the UK was made by Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008.
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Hamilton Spectator
15 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
France's Macron makes a state visit to the UK with migration and Ukraine on the agenda
LONDON (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in Britain on Tuesday for a state visit mixing royal pageantry with thorny political talks about stopping migrants from crossing the English Channel in small boats. Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also try to advance plans for a post-ceasefire security force for Ukraine , despite apparent U.S. indifference to the idea and Russia's refusal to halt the onslaught on its neighbor. Macron's three-day visit, at the invitation of King Charles III , is the first state visit to the U.K. by a European Union head of state since Brexit, and a symbol of the British government's desire to reset relations with the bloc that the U.K. acrimoniously left in 2020. The president and his wife, Brigitte Macron , will be driven to Windsor Castle by horse-drawn carriage, greeted by a military honor guard and treated to a state banquet hosted by the king and Queen Camilla. The British royals made a state visit to France in September 2023. Macron also will address both houses of Britain's Parliament in the building's fabulously ornate Royal Gallery before sitting down for talks with Starmer on migration, defense and investment. At a U.K.-France summit on Thursday, senior government officials from the two countries will discuss small-boat crossings, a thorny issue for successive governments on both sides of the channel. Britain receives fewer asylum-seekers than Mediterranean European countries, but thousands of migrants each year use northern France as a launching point to reach the U.K., either by stowing away in trucks or — after a clampdown on that route — in small boats across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The U.K. has struck a series of deals with France over the years to increase patrols of beaches and share intelligence in an attempt to disrupt the smuggling gangs. It has all had only a limited impact. About 37,000 people were detected crossing the English Channel in small boats in 2024, the second-highest annual figure after 46,000 in 2022. More than 20,000 people made the crossing in the first six months of 2025, up by about 50% from the same period last year. Dozens of people have died attempting the crossing. Starmer, whose center-left government was elected a year ago, has pledged to ' smash the gangs ' behind organized people-smuggling. His plan rests on closer cooperation with France and with countries further up the migrants' route from Africa and the Middle East. The U.K. also aims to strike deals with individual nations to take back failed asylum seekers. British officials have been pushing for French police to intervene more forcefully to stop the boats, and welcomed the sight of officers slashing rubber dinghies with knives in recent days. U.K. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the French are 'bringing in important new tactics to stop boats that are in the water.' Britain also is pushing France to let officers intervene against boats in deeper waters, a change the government in Paris is considering. Campaigners for migrants' rights and a police union warn that doing so could endanger both migrants and officers. Starmer spokesperson Tom Wells said some of the tactics being discussed are 'operationally and legally complex, but we're working closely with the French.' The two leaders have worked closely together to rally support for Ukraine, though they have taken contrasting approaches to U.S. President Donald Trump, with Macron more willing to challenge the American president than the emollient Starmer. Britain and France have led efforts to form an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine to reinforce a future ceasefire with European troops and equipment and U.S. security guarantees. Trump has shown little enthusiasm for the idea, however, and a ceasefire remains elusive. British officials say the 'coalition of the willing' idea is alive and well, with Macron and Starmer due to join an international videoconference on Thursday to discuss planning for the force. Starmer spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday about the 'significant progress being made by military planners,' the British leader's office said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Hill
22 minutes ago
- The Hill
France's Macron makes a state visit to the UK with migration and Ukraine on the agenda
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