French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the President of the United States of America (USA) Joseph Biden in Paris on Saturday, June 8, in order to confirm the strong partnership between France and the USA in the field of global security.
World media reported that Biden was greeted with pomp, and the two presidents laid wreaths at the monument in honor of the unknown fallen fighters. They also met with veterans of the Second World War.
At a joint press conference with Macron after the bilateral meeting, the US president pledged Washington's support to Kiev in its fight against the Russian invasion, warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin "will not stop at Ukraine".
"All of Europe will be threatened, we will not allow that to happen," said Biden. He pointed out that the USA "stands firmly by Ukraine".
"I repeat - we will not leave," he added.
French President Emmanuel Macron said at a press conference that "France is determined, together with the US, to put pressure on Iran to stop its escalating activities" in the Middle East.
Iran supports Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which the European Union and the US have designated as a terrorist organization.
"Together we are doubling our efforts to avoid a regional explosion, especially in Lebanon," Macron said.
France and the US have worked in recent months to try to defuse tensions, with Paris submitting written proposals to both sides aimed at halting the worsening exchange between Israel and Hezbollah on the Israeli-Lebanese border. The US has also been working on the issue, but diplomats say there have been problems coordinating efforts.
In his brief statement, Biden did not mention Lebanon, and he also did not mention Iran, which Macron said was contributing to the escalation of the situation in the region.
Biden has been in France since June 5, where he and Macron attended the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy on June 6, and a day later he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In his D-Day address on June 7, Biden advocated for the defense of democracy at home and abroad.
"As we gather here today, it's not just about honoring those who showed extraordinary courage that day on June 6, 1944," Biden said.
"We need to listen to the echo of their voices. To hear them. Because they're calling us. They're asking us what we're going to do. They're not asking us to climb these cliffs. They're asking us to stay true to what America stands for."
In Biden's meeting with Zelensky - the first since he signed legislation authorizing $61 billion in military aid to Ukraine - the US president announced a new shipment of $225 million worth of ammunition, including rockets, mortars, artillery ammunition and anti-aircraft missiles.
Meanwhile, Macron said at a joint press conference with Zelensky on June 7 that he was finalizing what he described as the "largest possible coalition" to train Ukrainian soldiers.
Macron stated that Ukrainian pilots will begin training in the summer to use French-made Mirage 2000 fighter jets, which Paris has promised to deliver to Kiev.
Ukraine's supreme commander said last Sunday that he had signed papers allowing French military instructors to soon access Ukrainian training centers. Russia responded by stating that they would be a "legitimate target" for Russian armed forces.
In recent weeks, Kiev has asked Europe to increase military support after Russia began gaining front-line positions, particularly in Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine.
However, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on June 7 that the Ukrainians, with the recent infusion of American aid, were able to "prevent Russia's advance," particularly in the area around Kharkiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier on June 7 in Saint Petersburg that Russia was "ready for talks" taking into account the "real situation". With that, he alluded to Russia's illegal annexation of four regions in the southeast of Ukraine and the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.
The Kremlin leader claims that Europe cannot defend itself due to the lack of an early warning system. Putin stated that Russia has "much more" tactical nuclear weapons than it has on the European continent, "even if the US were to bring its own."
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