Biden heralds close US-France ties as he’s treated to a state visit

Betsy Klein, CNN

Paris (CNN) — President Joe Biden heralded nan adjacent ties betwixt nan United States and France connected Saturday, calling his existent sojourn “the astir singular trip” that he’s made to nan state arsenic French President Emmanuel Macron hosted his US counterpart for an charismatic authorities sojourn successful Paris.

“This week, we person erstwhile again showed nan world … nan powerfulness of allies, what we tin execute erstwhile we guidelines together. That’s what nan narration betwixt France and nan United States exemplifies,” Biden said successful remarks pinch Macron from nan Élysée Palace.

The sojourn comes arsenic nan US has strengthened its confederation pinch its oldest state amid Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine, moreover arsenic immoderate signs of fissures person emerged complete nan conflict betwixt Israel and Hamas successful nan Middle East.

“When we guidelines arsenic one, our countries are stronger and literally, nan world is safer,” Biden said during a authorities meal later Saturday. “We guidelines astatine an inflection constituent successful history. The decisions we make now will find nan people of our early for decades to come.”

The authorities sojourn began pinch Macron and French first woman Brigitte Macron welcoming Biden and first woman Jill Biden pinch a general ceremonial astatine nan Arc de Triomphe, a Paris landmark.

The leaders paid their respects astatine nan Tomb of nan Unknown Soldier and placed nan extremity of a ample beard into nan eternal flame. A French subject choir performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” followed by “La Marseillaise.” Biden and Macron observed a flyover earlier greeting officials from a French delegation arsenic bagpipes played “Amazing Grace.”

The Bidens and Macrons signed a guestbook earlier boarding their respective vehicles, which drove slow down nan Champs-Élysées, flanked by subject unit and American and French flags. The usually bustling Parisian thoroughfare was emptied of pedestrians, pinch important roadworthy closures affecting nan area.

Biden described Saturday’s presence ceremonial arsenic a “moving experience.”

“It was a moving acquisition for a student of history to beryllium astatine nan Champs Élysée coming – that was a moving acquisition for us, nan full delegation,” he said.

Upon arriving astatine nan Élsyée Palace, nan French president’s charismatic residence, nan leaders posed for photos earlier opening a moving lunch. In nan evening, nan Macrons welcomed nan Bidens backmost to nan palace for a authorities dinner.

Macron is returning nan favour to Biden, who hosted nan French president for a authorities sojourn astatine nan White House successful December 2022, nan administration’s first.

Biden noted that nan US celebrates Independence Day, nan Fourth of July, adjacent month.

“That feat would not person been imaginable … were it not for France coming to our aid. We’re a federation because of France, successful ample part. You stepped up erstwhile we needed help,” he said.

France, Biden said, “was our first friend. Remains 1 of our champion friends.”

“Today, I proudly guidelines pinch France and support state and populist astir nan world. That’s what this spectacular week is each about,” he said.

There has been overmuch for nan leaders to discuss.

Macron, for illustration different US allies, has privately questioned nan early of US activity successful nan world should Biden suffer nan November predetermination to erstwhile President Donald Trump, pinch whom he had a much analyzable relationship.

Biden has often recalled gathering pinch world leaders early successful his word during a G7 gathering wherever he pronounced, “America is back.”

“And nan French leader looked astatine me, and he said, ‘For really long?’” Biden said to laughter astatine a March fundraiser successful New York City. “It wasn’t humorous. He said – he was serious, ‘For really long?’”

Biden has often pointed to those anxieties among his counterparts arsenic he makes nan lawsuit for a 2nd term, though Europe has besides had to contend pinch its ain rising tide of populism.

On nan taxable of Ukraine, some countries person touted their support for nan war-torn country. Biden connected Friday announced a caller $225 cardinal assistance package while apologizing to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for nan legislature delay.

And for his part, Macron has been 1 of nan cardinal leaders successful Europe’s consequence to Russia’s penetration of Ukraine. France has doubled its defense budget, announced it would surpass NATO’s 2% defense spending benchmark and restarted home accumulation of captious subject inputs.

Biden pointed to some countries’ support for Ukraine arsenic an illustration of their adjacent relationship.

“We cognize what happens if (Russian President Vladimir) Putin succeeds successful subjugating Ukraine. … And we cognize Putin isn’t going to extremity astatine Ukraine – it’s not conscionable Ukraine, it’s astir overmuch much than Ukraine. All of Europe will beryllium threatened. We’re not gonna fto that happen,” Biden said.

On nan Israel-Hamas war, Macron endorsed a ceasefire connection laid retired by Biden, penning successful a post connected X past week, “The warfare successful Gaza must end. We support nan US connection for a durable peace.”

But France collapsed pinch Western friends past period arsenic its Foreign Ministry expressed support for nan International Criminal Court’s determination to activity an apprehension warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Biden had called nan ICC’s determination “outrageous.”

Both Macron and Biden connected Saturday welcomed nan news of nan rescue of 4 Israeli hostages who were taken captive by Hamas connected October 7, pinch Biden utilizing nan infinitesimal to property for nan ceasefire connection he elaborate past week.

“We won’t extremity moving until each nan hostages are location and a ceasefire is reached,” nan president said.

The US-French narration has dramatically improved from a debased constituent early successful nan Biden administration. In September 2021, Macron took nan bonzer measurement of recalling his ambassador to Washington complete a US-Australia submarine woody that blindsided nan French and costs them a multibillion-dollar defense contract. 

“They person a lukewarm and adjacent relationship,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Friday evening. “One of nan things nan president respects and admires astir President Macron is he’s arsenic honorable and forthright arsenic President Joe Biden is. That’s what he wants to spot successful a friend, successful an ally.”

Biden and Macron were besides group to talk deepening maritime practice successful nan Indo-Pacific, pinch an announcement expected to build rule enforcement capacity and summation US-France method practice connected larboard security, Kirby said.

“I deliberation you’ll spot that we are arsenic adjacent arsenic we person ever been pinch our French allies,” Kirby added.

This communicative has been updated pinch further developments.

CNN’s Kayla Tausche and Xiaofei Xu contributed to this report

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