Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron forcefully displayed on Thursday the solidity of the alliance between the United States and France, “two sister nations in their fight for freedom”, despite friction over American industrial policy deemed “super aggressive” by Paris. “The United States could not ask for a better partner to work with than France,” said the American leader from the gardens of the White House, stressing that the alliance with France remained “essential”.
“Our common destiny is to respond together” to the challenges of the world, replied the French president. “Our two nations are sisters in their fight for freedom,” he said, calling for France and the United States to once again become “brothers in arms”.
Macron assures that he will “never” demand from kyiv “a compromise” that would be “unacceptable” for Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron assured Thursday that he would “never push the Ukrainians to accept a compromise that would be unacceptable to them” concerning Russian aggression, because that would not make it possible to build “a lasting peace”. During a press conference alongside his American counterpart Joe Biden, he thanked the United States for the assistance provided to kyiv and warned against any “abandonment” of Ukraine which, according to him, would endanger , “global stability”.
Biden ‘ready to talk’ with Putin if the latter ‘seeks a way to end the war’
US President Joe Biden said he was “ready” Thursday to speak with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin if the latter “seeks a way to end the war” in Ukraine. “I’m ready to talk to Putin if he’s looking for a way to end the war. He hasn’t done that yet,” he said at a joint press conference with Emmanuel Macron.
Biden pledges that job creation in the United States will not be done “at the expense of Europe”
US President Joe Biden pledged on Thursday that job creation in the United States would not be “at the expense of Europe”, after friction over his country’s industrial policy. Europe must “go faster and stronger” to have “the same industrial ambition” as Washington, said his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron during a joint press conference. “We want to succeed together, not against each other,” he said.
Working to “synchronize” green industry approaches
The French and American presidents pledged on Thursday to work to “synchronize” their approaches to investment in green energy, after friction around the industrial policy of the United States. “We have agreed to discuss practical ways to synchronize our approaches to strengthening supply chain, production and innovation on both sides of the Atlantic,” Joe Biden told a conference. common press.
“We decided together (…) that we were going to synchronize our approaches and our agendas to invest in critical emerging industries such as semiconductors, hydrogen, batteries,” said Emmanuel Macron.
“Mutually profitable” ecological transitions
Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron pledged on Thursday to lead “mutually beneficial” ecological transitions in their countries. The two presidents expressed their desire to “strengthen the partnership between the United States and the European Union on clean energy and climate”, according to a joint press release.
Reception with great fanfare
21 cannon shots, national anthems, a brass band… All under a bright winter sun: Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte were received with great fanfare during this state visit, carefully calibrated to display the good agreement. On the way to the Oval Office, where the two leaders are having a fireside chat before a press conference, the French president was also seen with his hand on Joe Biden’s shoulder. It is “important” to have close coordination in order to remedy the consequences of the war in Ukraine “on our economies and our populations”, indicated Emmanuel Macron.
The head of state is the first to whom the American president has reserved such treatment since his inauguration in January 2021. The octogenarian Democrat is strong, after the convulsions of the presidency of Donald Trump, to strengthen ties with traditional partners of the United States, including their “oldest ally”, the formula devoted to Washington to designate France.
Disputes between the two countries
However, it did not start very well with his French counterpart. In September 2021, the United States announced a spectacular new military alliance with the United Kingdom and Australia, blowing France a huge submarine contract. Joe Biden, without going back to the substance of the decision, had recognized a “clumsiness”. He has since done everything to appease Emmanuel Macron, a process which analysts say culminates in this solemn welcome to Washington.
Other disputes should be discussed during this visit. Emmanuel Macron thus deplored on Wednesday in a particularly offensive tone the “super aggressive” economic decisions for European companies by his American counterpart. Joe Biden wants to revitalize his industry and reassure a middle class shaken by globalization, while standing up to Beijing. In particular, the American president passed a gigantic investment program, the “Inflation Reduction Act”, which plans to subsidize electric cars… as long as they are “Made in the USA.”