French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Joe Biden stand together onstage during an official State Arrival Ceremony for President Macron on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., December 1, 2022.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
Standing beside U.S. President Joe Biden on the White House, French President Emmanuel Macron said the 2 democratic nations must once more turn into “brothers in arms” amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Macron made the comments through the welcoming ceremony Thursday of Biden’s first state visit. He and Macron are holding a joint press conference at 11:45 a.m. ET, followed by a state dinner later within the evening. The president selected to host France in honor of its status because the U.S.’s oldest ally.
Each leaders stressed the importance of maintaining a detailed alliance at this uncertain time.
“As war returns to European soil following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and in light of the multiple crises our nations and all societies face, we’d like to turn into brothers in arms over again,” Macron said.
Beyond military aggression, Macron said the alliance must remain strong as democracy itself is being questioned world wide.
“Our democracies on either side of the ocean are being shaken by the identical doubts as to our ability to be sufficiently strong and effective on the subject of the challenges we share of climate to politics to technology,” Macron said. “They’re unsure within the face of reluctance, hate speech, false information and today’s fears.”
Macron’s remarks echoed those of Biden who spoke first. Biden too highlighted the strength of the alliance as Russia invades Ukraine which he said “has over again shattered peace on the continent of Europe.”
Citing France’s assistance to the US through the Revolutionary War, Biden said the countries’ commitment to democracy was essential.
“France and the US are once more defending the democratic values and universal human rights that are the hearts of each our nations,” Biden said. “We’re proving to people world wide that democracies deliver from our joint leadership.”
Despite the talk of friendship and wish to jointly address climate change, Macron has been critical of climate provisions in Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act. Macron criticized the law at a luncheon on Wednesday and in a speech on the French Embassy.
European leaders, Macron said, worry the vast tax incentives would drive firms from Europe to the U.S. to create climate-friendly technology like electric vehicles.
The Inflation Reduction Act, which became law in August, allocated $369 billion toward addressing climate change through clean energy initiatives. The vast majority of the investment, around $270 billion, is thru direct tax incentives.
Macron on Wednesday said the brand new law will make firms within the U.S. think, “We do not make investments any more on the opposite side of the Atlantic.”