London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 03, 2026

Macron, Biden Agree on Establishing European Defense

Macron, Biden Agree on Establishing European Defense

US President Joe Biden announced his readiness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the condition that Putin is ready to end the aggression on Ukraine.
The President stressed that the only way to end the war was Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine, ruling out that Russia would be able to achieve victory in the war.

Biden was speaking during the first state visit of his presidency in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron focused on showing the massive infrastructure damage in Ukrainian and the impact of the war on European countries.

Both leaders reiterated their continued support for the Ukrainian people, ensured their steadfastness in the face of Russia, and asserted the need to equip the Ukrainian forces with the necessary financial and military aid.

They also agreed to support the defenses of NATO and its members, but there appeared to be a big gap between Macron's desire to end the Russian-Ukrainian war through negotiations and Biden's desire to support Kyiv until the restoration of all lands from the control of the Russian forces.

Macron confirmed in an interview with ABC channel that he would hold talks with Putin in the coming days, noting that he wanted to visit Washington and have in-depth discussions with Biden.

On Thursday, the French President called for a "lasting peace" to end the conflict, noting that a "good peace is not a peace which will be imposed to the Ukrainians by others," adding, "A good peace is not a peace which will not be accepted on the mid-to-long run by one of the two parties."

Macron believes negotiation is still "possible" with Putin to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which he described as a "huge mistake."

"[Putin] is in charge, and he's been in charge for quite a long time … He knows his people. I think he made a mistake," Macron said.

"Is it impossible to come back [to] the table and negotiate something? I think it's still possible."

The last official talks between Macron and Putin dated back to Sept. 11, and the French President announced that he intends to have "direct contact" with the Russian President on several issues.

The Elysee Palace stated that Macron would remind Putin of France's demands, which are the exit of Russian forces from Ukraine, and restoring Kyiv's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Meanwhile, Biden and Macron disagreed on several issues, including China and stability in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Macron favored a pragmatic rapprochement with China to achieve a breakthrough, while Biden adhered to the policy of competition with Beijing on some issues and cooperating on others.

The disparity between the two leaders was apparent regarding the most pressing issues, as Biden refused to apologize for enacting the Inflation Reduction Law, despite Macron's attempts to convince him of its negative impact on French and European companies.

The French and US Presidents agreed on the Iranian nuclear program, as Biden stressed that both countries are determined to ensure that Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon.

They also expressed their respect for the Iranian people who are "bravely protesting" to gain the freedom to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms, which Iran itself has subscribed to and is violating.

Paris and Washington continue to work with other international partners to address Iran's nuclear escalation, its insufficient cooperation with the IAEA, including on severe and outstanding issues relating to Iran's legal obligations under its Non-Proliferation Treaty Safeguards Agreement, and its destabilizing activities in the Middle East.

In a joint statement issued before the press conference, the Presidents recognized the importance of a stronger and more capable European defense that contributes positively to transatlantic and global security and is complementary to and interoperable with NATO.

The statement stressed the speedy provision of significant resources to support Ukrainian civilian resilience through the winter, including stepping up the delivery of air defense systems and equipment needed to repair Ukraine's energy grid.

The United States and France plan to continue working with partners and allies to coordinate assistance efforts, including at the international conference in Paris on Dec. 13, 2022.

They also intended to continue providing robust direct budget support for Ukraine and to urge international financial institutions to scale up their financial support.

The US and France are strengthening their partnership in the Indo-Pacific region to advance prosperity, security, and shared values based on a rules-based international order, transparent governance, fair economic practices, and respect for international law, including freedom of navigation.

They would continue to coordinate on concerns regarding China's challenge to the rules-based international order, including respect for human rights, and work with China on critical global issues like climate change.

They also strongly condemned North Korea's unprecedented number of unlawful ballistic missile tests this year that violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions and threatened regional peace and stability.

Concerning Africa, the presidents renewed their resolve to work with African partners to pursue shared governance, security, and economic priorities on the continent.

Paris and Washington are determined to work closely to support peace and prosperity in the Middle East. The Presidents welcomed the historic breakthrough of the October 2022 Israel-Lebanon maritime boundary agreement.

The Presidents welcomed the successful first year of the US-France Bilateral Clean Energy Partnership, which convened most recently in October 2022, as the high-level platform to advance energy and climate cooperation.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
FIFA’s Retreat Leaves a Larger Question Over Who Guards the Game
Two Firefighting Crew Members Die in Helicopter Collision West of Athens
Ceuta Border Surge Recasts Europe’s Migration Debate
Burnham Promises a Harder Channel Response as Crossings Test His New Government
Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games End With Organisers Defending Smaller Format as Sustainable Model
Reform UK Faces Labour Criticism Over Nigel Farage Leadership Return Discussions
Environment Agency Restricts River Thames Navigation as Low Water Levels Raise Concerns
UK Government Launches Free Bus Travel Scheme for Children During Summer Holidays
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Confirms October Budget Date and Plans Wider Regional Funding Shift
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Promises Tougher Action on Small Boat Crossings Amid European Migration Pressure
UK Economic Growth Forecast Raised Slightly as Inflation Expected to Remain Above Target Until 2029
National Farmers Union Warns of Food Shortage Risks as Drought and Heatwaves Damage UK Crops
Finland Deploys Commercial-Scale Thermal Batteries Using Crushed Rock to Store Renewable Grid Energy
Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California
Sainsbury Agrees to Sell Argos in £120 Million Deal to Private Consortium
High Court Clears Way for Construction of Chinese Embassy at Royal Mint Court
UK Fuel Prices Climb to Multi-Month Highs as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Disrupt Oil Supplies
Severe Summer Drought and Record Heat Put UK Harvests at Risk
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Faces Labour Backbench Opposition Over Potential Support for New North Sea Oil and Gas Drilling
Bank of England Warns Inflation Will Stay Above 3% as Middle East Energy Shock Prolongs Cost-of-Living Pressures
Andy Burnham has Announces Plans to Redistribute Income Tax Revenue to English Mayors
Early-Release Scheme Faces Fresh Scrutiny as Reoffending and Prison Recalls Rise
Police Phone Checks Followed Report on Murder of MI5 Agent Inside Sinn Féin
Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 Million Reparative Justice Fund During Ghana Visit
Charities Allege French Police Used Tear Gas Against Channel Migrants
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Iran-Linked Murder Plot in Britain
Christian Organisations File Charity Complaints Against Amnesty International UK
Ofgem Tightens Grid Connection Rules for New Data Centres
FTSE 100 Reaches Record High Despite Global Technology Sell-Off
Millions of UK Households Urged to Check Eligibility for Winter Energy Discount
Labour Restores Parliamentary Whips to Diane Abbott and Joani Reid
UK Supreme Court to Hear Challenge Over Palestine Action Ban
UK Commits More Than £8.4 Billion to Dreadnought Nuclear Submarine Programme
England Declares Severe Drought as Wildfire Burns Near Sizewell Nuclear Site
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Tensions Fuel Inflation Risks
Drought Status Extended Across All of Wales as Heat and Dry Weather Deepen Environmental Strain
Record-Low Danube Exposes Probable Mammoth Remains in Bulgaria
UK Business Confidence Climbs to Four-Month High
Greater Manchester Gains Expanded Powers Under Regional Funding Reforms
UK Supreme Court to Hear Appeal Over Palestine Action Terror Ban
Shell's Quarterly Profit Doubles to Nearly $10 Billion on Higher Energy Prices
UK Government Removes VAT From Household Electricity Bills
Exceptional Drought Grips Half of England as Wildfire Threatens Sizewell
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Risks Persist
US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces
The chief executive of the popular gaming company laid off many employees and his pay rose to 38 million dollars
UK Employment Holds Steady as Wage Growth Remains Moderate
England to Introduce Artificial Intelligence into Secondary School Curriculum
Wales Launches £1.2 Billion Industrial Regeneration Programme
High Court Upholds UK Digital Surveillance Framework
×