British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed their commitment to closer bilateral co-operation on defence and migration during a meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada on Monday.
Discussing the situation in the Middle East, they both agreed on the need to find a path to peace through diplomacy and dialogue. They agreed that this should be a key priority for G7 partners over the next two days.
Ahead of the upcoming UK-France summit on July 11, both leaders called for “ambitious outcomes” that will deliver tangible benefits for both the British and French people.
Migration was highlighted as a priority area, with both sides acknowledging the deterioration of the situation in the English Channel and expressing the need for innovative and coordinated measures with international partners.
In April, the governments of both countries held successful negotiations on an agreement under which the parties will exchange migrants.
Defence and security co-operation was also on the agenda.
The statement said that both leaders see the G7 as an opportunity to deepen existing ties in these areas. On Ukraine, both leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for a “just and lasting peace, and for maintaining pressure on Russia.”
Macron expressed similar sentiments on X, calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and Gaza and urging the resumption of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Earlier, the European Commission had decided to speed up the process of deporting migrants by creating a preliminary list of countries whose citizens could be more quickly denied asylum in EU countries.
