The presidents' joint roadmap reaffirmed their determination to assist Kyiv's attempts to use Russian assets that have been placed on hold.
President Emmanuel Macron of France received President Joe Biden of the United States on Saturday for a state visit that included discussions on trade, the Middle East, and Ukraine. Biden had just returned from marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
With Biden at his side, Macron told reporters at the Elysee presidential palace that the two nations will put in more effort to stop a regional escalation from Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza and concentrate on easing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Macron said, "To prevent a regional explosion, particularly in Lebanon, we are redoubling our efforts together." An Iranian-backed political organization and militia in Lebanon is known as Hezbollah.
The release of four hostages held by Hamas since October by Israeli troops was praised by both men. "Until a ceasefire is achieved and all hostages return home, we won't stop working," Biden said.
Since Hamas struck Israel in October, Biden has been an ardent backer of Israel, which is pursuing the terrorist group. However, the tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties have damaged Biden's left-leaning electoral base's perception of Israel, which will be detrimental to him when he faces Republican Donald Trump in November for reelection.
Reporters were not allowed to interview Biden or Macron during their celebration of D-Day veterans and defense of democratic ideals during the last several days.
A huge French flag hanging from the arch over the leaders' heads waved in the air as they paid their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a ceremony at the famous Arc de Triomphe on Saturday morning.
Biden and Macron visited service veterans accompanied by their spouses. They then traveled to the Elysee by car down the famed Avenue des Champs-Elysees in the capital, accompanied by French soldiers on horseback.
At a luncheon held at the French presidential palace to wrap off the day, political and corporate leaders were joined by celebrities like Pharrell Williams and John McEnroe. Macron also hosted Harold Terrens, a 100-year-old World War II veteran, and Jeanne Swerlin, his 96-year-old spouse. On Saturday, the pair got married earlier.
Notwithstanding their previous disagreements over a submarine contract with Australia, Biden and Macron get along well. In 2022, Biden welcomed Macron to the White House as a state guest.
Both presidents have pledged to support attempts to utilize Russian assets that have been blocked in order to assist Kyiv. They are united in their nations' support for Ukraine and opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Some nations are concerned about the United States and its G7 allies taking advantage of profits from Russian assets, but a U.S. Treasury official said on Tuesday that the country was making headway in this regard.
Biden said that he would not stop there even if Putin is successful in his conflict with Ukraine.
"The issue goes well beyond Ukraine. There will be a danger to all of Europe, but we won't allow that to happen," he said. "With Ukraine, the US is firmly in support. Together with our allies, we stand. Additionally, we support France."
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke to the National Assembly of France on Friday, and U.S. Congress took months to approve the most recent military assistance. Biden apologized for the delay.
Beyond Ukraine, there were significant trade concerns between the two sides of the Atlantic, particularly in relation to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, which became operative in August 2022 under President Biden. Officials in Europe saw it as a protectionist action that drains funds from businesses inside the EU.
Macron said that on Saturday, he and Biden once again spoke on the implications of the IRA for the European economy. Macron and his European partners secured little concessions from Washington after criticizing the IRA during his state visit in 2022.
"Our goal is to bring the economies of the United States of America and Europe back into line with each other, both in terms of regulations and investment levels," said Macron.
No comments:
Post a Comment