London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Oct 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
Church of England to Apologize for Role in Historical Forced Adoptions
UK Defence Ministry Investigates Historical Use of RAF Bases by Jeffrey Epstein
Scottish Housing Completions Fall to 11-Year Low
Welsh First Minister Calls for Expanded Devolution Settlement
UK Pledges £50 Million to Expand Domestic Military Drone Capabilities
UK Opens First Commercial Geothermal Plant in Cornwall
Green Party Wins Gorton and Denton By-Election as Labour Falls to Third
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Opens Review of UK-EU Relationship
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1%, Adding Pressure on Household Finances
UK Removes VAT From Domestic Electricity Bills to Ease Winter Energy Costs
Counterterrorism Police Arrest Sixth Suspect Over RAF Fairford Incident
UK Councils to Receive Sweeping Planning Powers to Ban New Vape and Betting Shops
Chancellor John Healey Faces Tax and Pension Scrutiny Ahead of Autumn Budget
Metropolitan Police Apologise for Accidental Disclosure in High-Profile Investigation
UK Universities Report Record International Enrolment as Housing Pressure Grows
UK Logistics Firms Monitor Rhine Disruption as Low Water Threatens European Supply Chains
UK Food Industry Warns Inflation Could Approach 7%
UK Introduces Vaping Duty and Mandatory Retail Stamps
Scotland Raises Property Taxes and Expands Child Payment in Annual Budget
Greggs Plans Four Factory Closures With 740 Jobs at Risk
OECD Raises UK 2026 Growth Forecast to 1.1%
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% as Bank of England Faces Rate Debate
Andy Burnham Criticises Brexit and Says Rejoining EU Single Market Remains an Option
UK Imposes New Sanctions on Russian Military Networks and Propagandists
UK Launches Nationwide Early-Release Prison Scheme
Andy Burnham Says Security Services See Signs of Iranian Involvement in RAF Fairford Incident
Manchester City Found Guilty on Premier League Financial Charges After Independent Investigation
Scottish Court to Rule on Bid to Force No-Confidence Vote Against Aberdeen Council Co-Leader
UK Bans Extra Charges for Seating Children Under 12 Beside Accompanying Adults
UK Introduces Vaping Duty and New Licensing Requirements
Greggs to Close Four UK Factories and Cut 740 Jobs
Hundreds of Prisoners Released Early as England and Wales Prisons Reach 98% Capacity
UK Unveils New Russia Sanctions Targeting War Funding and Shadow Fleet
Burnham Says There Are Strong Indications of Iranian Involvement in RAF Fairford Security Breach
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Reviewing Britain's Post-Brexit EU Relationship
Markets Price in Bank of England Rate Increases as Inflation Rises to 3.1%
UK Borrowing Costs Climb Toward 5.5% as Global Bond Sell-Off Intensifies
UK-France One-In-One-Out Migration Agreement Expires as London Seeks Alternative Measures
Southwest England Faces Flood Alerts After Heavy Autumn Storms
UK Expands Funding for Rapid Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Welsh Government Approves Funding to Upgrade South Wales Transport
Northern Ireland Tensions Rise as Orange Order Rejects Drumcree Compromise
NHS Leaders Back Early Design of Proposed National Care Service
More Than One-Third of Regional UK Universities Face Financial Deficits
UK Current Account Deficit Narrows as Cross-Border Financial Flows Remain Strong
Bank of England and FCA Issue New Rules for Stablecoins and Digital Assets
MI5 Warns UK Universities Over Research Links With Chinese Institutions
UK Energy Price Cap Rises 4% as Electricity VAT Is Temporarily Suspended
Equity Calls for UK Personality Rights to Protect Performers From AI Replication
OpenAI Pauses Advanced Model Training Following Safety Concerns
×