British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined French President Emmanuel Macron Monday at the ceremony in Paris commemorating the 106th anniversary of the end of World War I in a symbolic show of unity between the two countries.
Before the traditional ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe, the two leaders placed wreaths by statues of Churchill and of Georges Clemenceau, the French prime minister at the time of the Armistice
“I am honoured to be in Paris to stand united with President Macron in tribute to the fallen of the First World War who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we enjoy today,” Starmer said.
Starmer is the first British leader to attend France’s Armistice Day ceremony since Churchill joined Charles de Gaulle in 1944, Starmer's office said.
The Paris ceremony, which is both “traditional and particular”, according to Macron’s office, echoes Franco-British commemorations 80 years ago, when Allied troops liberated most of France's territory from Nazi occupation.
The meeting is intended as a symbol to show the two countries' friendship, 120 years after the Entente Cordiale, the historic agreement between France and the United Kingdom.
Starmer announced that the British government has committed over €12 million to commemorate next year’s 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe and the defeat of Japan that ended World War II in 1945.
During Starmer’s visit to Paris, he and Macron were expected to discuss foreign policy, notably Ukraine, following the election of Donald Trump in the United States.
The British Prime Minister is also expected to meet France’s new Prime Minister Michel Barnier.
The meeting marks a significant step in Starmer's plans to reset relations with the European Union following the UK's exit in 2020.
(with AFP)
