This Friday, March 10, Emmanuel Macron receives British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the Élysée Palace. This is the first Franco-British summit since 2018 and aims to create a new connection between the two countries after five years of tension. The objective: to strengthen cooperation on immigration issues, but there are other issues on the table in an ambitious meeting.
Immigration, but also the environment, the war in Ukraine, the Iranian nuclear program, bilateral trade: these are some of the issues on the table at this Franco-British summit.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the two countries have worked side by side in NATO. The British government is aware of the importance of showing apparent unity among the Western powers in the face of the war in Ukraine. Announcements are expected in terms of training and equipment for the Ukrainian army.
The last five years have been marked by delicate relations in the context of Brexit and Covid. At this summit, the British want to renew relations between the two countries. The Brexit negotiations have strained relations between the two sides of the English Channel, as well as the tripartite military association formed by Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom (AUKUS).
The British prime minister hopes that Franco-British relations will be reactive, after his two predecessors, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, had harsh positions and words towards the French president.
Immigration, a hot topic
London also wants to make progress in the fight against illegal immigration. This is one of the five promises made by Rishi Sunak. The numbers keep rising: 46,000 people crossed the English Channel in small makeshift boats last year alone, a record.
Rishi Sunak is also in Paris hoping that Emmanuel Macron will support him on migration policy issues – the British prime minister announced this week his intention to ban migrants arriving via the English Channel from applying for asylum, a plan that could go against international conventions.
The head of the British Executive knows that Paris does not accept the return of these immigrants, most of whom come from Calais. And Rishi Sunak wants to create a new partnership with the French police, not excluding Emmanuel Macron by helping him reach an agreement with the European Commission.
Source: TSF
