LONDON (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday urged Britain to stick close to its neighbors despite its exit from the European Union, saying France and the U.K. will “save Europe” by standing for democracy, law and international order in a dangerous world.
On a state visit that mixed royal pageantry with tough political talks on Ukraine and migration, Macron said Europe must strengthen its economy and defenses and reduce its dependence “on both the U.S. and China.”
Macron’s three-day journey, on the invitation of King Charles III, is the primary state go to to the U.Okay. by a European Union head of state since Brexit, and a logo of the U.Okay. authorities’s want to reset relations with the bloc after Britain acrimoniously left the EU in 2020.
Macron addressed members of each homes of Britain’s Parliament packed into the constructing’s ornate Royal Gallery. He mentioned the 2 international locations symbolize “a world order based on law, justice and respect for territorial integrity, an order that is today being attacked on a daily basis.”
“The United Kingdom and France must once again show the world that our alliance can make all the difference,” Macron mentioned, including that “we will save Europe by our example and our solidarity.”
He mentioned that despite the fact that Britain has left the EU, “the United Kingdom cannot stay on the sidelines. Because defense and security, competitiveness, democracy — the very core of our identity — are connected across Europe as a continent.”
Buda Mendes by way of Getty Pictures
Pomp and politics
The French president and his spouse, Brigitte Macron, had been handled to the total pressure of British ceremonial attraction, a far cry from the chilly relations of 2022, when then-International Secretary Liz Truss mentioned that the “jury is out” on whether or not Macron was a good friend or a foe.
The Macrons had been greeted at London’s RAF Northolt air base by Prince William and his spouse Catherine — sporting a costume by French design home Christian Dior — earlier than being met by King Charles and Queen Camilla in Windsor, west of London. They had been pushed to the just about 1,000-year-old royal residence of Windsor Fort in horse-drawn carriages, by way of streets bedecked in Union Jacks and French tricolor flags.
The king and queen hosted a banquet for the Macrons at Windsor Fort on Tuesday night, with 160 friends together with politicians, diplomats and celebrities comparable to Mick Jagger and Elton John. They had been served summer season greens, rooster with asparagus and iced blackcurrant parfait, together with Champagne and a gin-infused cocktail referred to as L’entente, after the “entente cordiale” struck between Britain and France in 1904.
As monarch, Charles is anticipated to be above politics, however he spoke in regards to the assist Britain and France give Ukraine “in defense of our shared values,” famous the problem of “irregular migration across the English Channel” and mentioned the 2 international locations face “complex threats, emanating from multiple directions.
“As friends and as allies, we face them together,” Charles mentioned.
New ways to cease boats
Politics will take heart stage on Wednesday, when Macron sits down for talks with U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on migration, protection and funding — together with a 12.5% stake by French vitality agency EDF in a brand new nuclear energy plant deliberate for japanese England.
Macron additionally got here bearing a tantalizing cultural reward: an settlement to ship the Bayeux Tapestry to Britain for the primary time in additional than 900 years. The 70-meter (230-foot) tapestry exhibiting the Norman conquest of England in 1066 will go on show on the British Museum from September 2026 to July 2027.
At talks Wednesday and a U.Okay.-France summit on Thursday, Macron and Starmer will talk about methods to cease migrants from crossing the English Channel in small boats and attempt to advance plans for a post-ceasefire safety pressure for Ukraine, regardless of obvious U.S. indifference to the concept and Russia’s refusal to halt the onslaught on its neighbor.
Britain receives fewer asylum-seekers than Mediterranean European international locations, however 1000’s of migrants every year use northern France as a launching level to succeed in the U.Okay., both by stowing away in vans or — after a clampdown on that route — in small boats throughout one of many world’s busiest transport lanes.
The U.Okay. has struck a sequence of offers with France over time to enhance patrols of seashores and share intelligence in an try to disrupt the smuggling gangs.
It has all had solely a restricted influence. About 37,000 individuals had been detected crossing the English Channel in small boats in 2024, and greater than 20,000 individuals made the crossing within the first six months of 2025, up by about 50% from the identical interval final 12 months. Dozens of individuals have died making an attempt to cross.
British officers have been pushing for French police to intervene extra forcefully to cease the boats, and welcomed the sight of officers slashing rubber dinghies with knives in current days.
France can also be contemplating a U.Okay. proposal for a “one-in, one-out” deal that might see France take again some migrants who reached Britain, in return for the U.Okay. accepting a few of these in France.
Macron mentioned the leaders would strive “to fix today what is a burden for our two countries.”
“France and the U.K. have a shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness,” he mentioned.
Protecting Ukraine in focus
Starmer and Macron have labored carefully collectively to rally assist for Ukraine, although they’ve taken contrasting approaches to U.S. President Donald Trump, with Macron extra keen to problem the American president than the emollient Starmer.
Britain and France have led efforts to kind a world peacekeeping pressure for Ukraine to strengthen a future ceasefire with European troops and gear and U.S. safety ensures.
Trump has proven little enthusiasm for the concept, nonetheless, and a ceasefire stays elusive. British officers say the “coalition of the willing” thought is alive and nicely, with Macron and Starmer because of be a part of a world videoconference on Thursday to debate planning for the pressure.
Macron mentioned the coalition was an indication that “Europeans will never abandon Ukraine – never.”
