Macron and Starmer pledge ’unwavering’ support for Ukraine
France and the UK will support Ukraine for as long as necessary "to thwart Russia’s war of aggression", French President Emmanuel Macron and Sir Keir Starmer have said.
The prime minister marked Armistice Day at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris as a guest of Macron on Monday, and held a meeting with his French counterpart to talk about Russia’s invasion and stopping illegal migration in the Channel.
A statement from the Elysee Palace said the two leaders had reaffirmed their commitment to "support Ukraine unwaveringly".
Their meeting comes as questions are being asked about US President-elect Donald Trump’s support for Ukraine after he said he could end the war "in one day".
Macron personally invited the prime minister, to mark the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between France and the UK, which paved the way for greater diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.
The statement said the two leaders had reaffirmed their commitment to "support Ukraine unwaveringly and for as long as necessary to thwart Russia’s war of aggression".
A further statement from Downing Street said the pair discussed how to put Ukraine in "the strongest possible position going into the winter".
There were no details on whether the two leaders would support allowing Ukraine to use long-range Storm Shadow missiles deep into Russian territory.
The key decision-maker as far as London and Paris are concerned remains President Biden - who has so far have not given Ukraine permission to use long-range missiles against targets inside Russia, for fear of escalation.
Downing Street said "no war was ever won by a single weapon" when asked whether the UK was speaking to President Biden about the potential use of the missiles.
A Number 10 spokeswoman said: "Our position on Storm Shadow hasn’t changed.
"We’ve always aid that where we discuss our support for Ukraine, we do so in terms of broader strategy to ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position going forwards, particularly in the winter, and we’ve also been clear that no war was ever won by a single weapon."
Questions have been raised following Trump’s presidential election victory about what his second term could mean for US support for Ukraine and Nato.
Over the weekend, the Washington Post reported Trump has already spoken to Vladimir Putin - urging the Russian leader not to further escalate the war.
The Kremlin denied a phone call took place, claiming the Washington Post’s article "does not correspond at all to reality".
Macron thanked Sir Keir for being the first British leader at the Champs-Élysées ceremony since Winston Churchill in 1944.
During the Armistice Day commemorations, Sir Keir also met French Prime Minister Michel Barnier before observing a minute’s silence.
Sir Keir and Macron laid a wreath at the statue of Churchill in Paris and travelled in an open roof car to review troops around the Arc de Triomphe.
During their meeting, Sir Keir and Macron also committed to "cooperation on migration in the Channel, particularly in the face of human trafficking networks," a statement said.
The pair discussed European security and "the prospects for the relationship" between the EU and the UK, alongside discussions the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
"Finally, the two leaders reiterated their desire to deepen bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of security and defence," the statement said.
Earlier, UK Defence Secretary John Healey said if the reports of the call were correct "then President Trump is exactly right to warn Putin against escalation in Ukraine".
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said he expected the United States to "remain steadfast" in its support of Ukraine due to the strength of "bipartisan support" in the country.
"We have stepped up our support of Ukraine, we’re speeded up the delivery of aid, and we’re spending more now on Ukraine and supporting Ukraine than we ever have done before," he added.
The UK and France have said backing Ukraine against Russia is essential when it comes to protecting the European continent as a whole.
Trump has previously told Nato members to increase defence spending, saying he would let aggressors such as Russia do "whatever the hell it wants" to those that do not.
Bryan Lanza, who worked on Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, told the BBC that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had to have a "realistic vision for peace", which would not involve ending the Russian annexation of Crimea.
However, a spokesperson for Donald Trump distanced him from the remarks, saying Mr Lanza "does not speak for him".
The Armistice Day meeting between Starmer and Macron comes as fighting between Ukraine and Russia intensifies.
Exchanges at the weekend saw the largest drone attacks by both sides against each other since the start of the war, and Russia’s defence ministry said it intercepted 84 Ukrainian drones over six regions, including some approaching Moscow.
On Sunday, Treasury Minister Darren Jones told BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that the government wanted to increase defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of the national income.
However, he did not say when the target would be reached or whether it would be met before the next election, which could be held in 2029, at the latest.
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