Focus on Wars and Trade Dominates Discussions in Biden–Macron State Visit Meeting

PARIS, France—President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron met at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Saturday to discuss numerous pressing issues, including conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as China’s industrial overcapacity and aggression in the Indo–Pacific.

During the joint press statement, Ukraine was a key focus for both leaders. Mr. Macron mentioned that France and the United States share a common stance on supporting Ukraine and expressed support for President Biden’s recent Gaza peace plan.

The leaders opted for a press statement as opposed to a press conference and did not take questions from the media. Mr. Macron expressed the need for a “joint roadmap” concerning the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Mr. Biden commended the Israeli military for rescuing four Hamas hostages in a special operation and called for the release of the remaining hostages.

While both leaders share a vision for supporting Ukraine, one of their main challenges is deciding how to use frozen Russian assets in European accounts to aid Ukraine, particularly in reconstruction.

Discussions on accessing these assets have been ongoing among the United States and its G-7 partners. Recently, G-7 finance ministers deliberated on the legality of using approximately 270 billion Euros of frozen Russian state assets as collateral for providing a loan to Ukraine.

Following the press statement, neither leader commented on their stance regarding frozen Russian assets.

The White House has previously acknowledged that decisions on Russian assets cannot be unilateral due to their global distribution.

“So, we’ve got to have participation and assistance with our allies and partners, or it won’t work,” White House National Security communications advisor John Kirby stated during a call on June 4.

During the press statement, Mr. Macron emphasized China’s unfair trade practices, specifically addressing China’s industrial overcapacity issue. He stressed the importance of a coordinated response between the United States and France to confront this problem.

Chinese companies are quickly capturing market share in critical industries like solar panels, wind turbines, steel, and cement. Governments in the U.S. and Europe have raised concerns about China’s excessive capacity, largely due to significant government subsidies. They are particularly worried about the impact of this overcapacity on international competitors and the progress of industries in other nations.

During their discussions, President Biden reportedly discussed China, emphasizing the importance of coordination and domestic investment.

He informed Mr. Macron that in a recent conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he inquired about the rationale behind potentially imposing tariffs on specific vehicles. The president shared that he had explained to the Chinese leader that Beijing was not following any rules.

According to Mr. Kirby, the two presidents also intend to explore methods of enhancing maritime cooperation in the Indo–Pacific.

“Specifically, we expect an announcement that we will work together to build law enforcement capacity—particularly maritime law enforcement capacity—and increase U.S.–France technical cooperation on port security in the Indo–Pacific,” Mr. Kirby told reporters on June 7.

Prior to their bilateral meeting, Mr. Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron hosted a welcoming ceremony for President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, a symbol honoring those who fought and perished in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

“This is a particular honor, reflecting our close and very long relationship,” Mr. Kirby commented.

In December 2022, President Biden welcomed President Macron to the White House for the first state visit of his administration.