King Charles III will welcome French President Emmanuel Macron for a state visit to Britain in May, signalling Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s push to reset post-Brexit relations with Europe, according to Politico.
The invitation comes ahead of a planned September visit by US President Donald Trump, whose inward-focused “America First” policies have strained transatlantic ties.
The May summit, expected to include a UK-EU defence and security pact signed at Windsor Castle, aims to bolster military cooperation and spending across the continent. It follows Macron and Starmer’s leadership of a European “coalition of the willing” to draft security guarantees for Ukraine, should ceasefire talks with Russia progress.
While defence collaboration has emerged as a cornerstone of the UK’s EU rapprochement, the pact’s success hinges on resolving lingering disputes, notably fishing rights in English waters for EU fleets. Officials hope the agreement, set to be finalised on 19 May, could unlock further negotiations, including streamlined agri-food trade standards and improved mobility schemes for students and young people.
Both sides view the summit as a litmus test for Starmer’s broader ambition to ease post-Brexit friction. The Macron visit contrasts sharply with Trump’s expected September trip, for which King Charles extended an invitation during Starmer’s Washington visit in February.
The US president recently imposed 10% tariffs on all UK and EU goods, pausing more severe measures to “negotiate better deals,” according to Trump’s team.