CNN
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US President Joe Biden participates in a series of events as part of his first official visit since taking office, welcoming the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron and his spouse Brigitte Macron on Thursday. .
President Macron’s visit to the White House will be his second state visit, following his first official visit as a state guest under Donald Trump’s administration in 2018. The strength of critical ties between the United States and its oldest allies.
President Macron arrived at the White House on Thursday morning for his official arrival ceremony.
The Elysée announced on Thursday morning that Macron presented the president with four gifts. The vinyl of the soundtrack to the film Un Homme et une Femme that the first couple saw on their first date and her CD, Maison Her Christofle’s cup, which symbolizes the connection between France and France. A sweater from House Saint James, a watch from LIP Horlogerie, USA. He also gave the First Lady a copy of Albert Camus’s “Madame Bovary” and “The Plague, the Depravity, Exile and the Kingdom, and Selected Essays.” He gave Vice President Kamala Harris a model of the Ariane 5 rocket.
Macron’s return for another official visit compares to just a year ago when he took the unusual step of recalling the ambassador to Washington over the US-Australia submarine deal that blinded France and France. This was followed by a dramatic recovery in US-France relations. cost them billions of dollars in defense contracts. The riff appears to be largely behind them, with Biden and Macron deepening their relationship last year in a united effort to counter Russia’s war on Ukraine.
“Through all these events, we can expect to showcase both our long shared history as allies and our deep partnership,” said John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council. It’s about the most pressing global challenges of today and tomorrow,” he told reporters on Monday. “While there are certain areas where progress is expected during this visit, I would like to emphasize that this visit is a celebration of the solid foundation of this relationship. At the same time, we’re looking squarely into the future – and it’s a very dynamic and exciting future that we look forward to.
Most of the events surrounding President Macron’s state visit will take place on Thursday.
After the official arrival ceremony at the White House, Biden and Macron will hold bilateral talks. The two leaders will address a number of issues, including issues of common interest such as Ukraine, Iran and China, before attending a joint press conference.
Kirby told reporters: “I expect China to be a very important topic in the next few days with President Emmanuel Macron.”
U.S. and French officials do not expect the visit to bring much fruit, but the two countries see it as an opportunity to deepen their partnership on a number of global challenges. , advance discussions in a working group launched in the wake of last year’s submarine incident to strengthen cooperation on cyberspace and energy issues.
Still, there are areas of disagreement that are expected to emerge.
One of the biggest points of tension is the billion-plus electric vehicle subsidies included in the Inflation Reduction Act, which applies only to those manufactured in North America. President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the move, and French officials have said they will raise the issue in meetings with Biden and parliamentary leaders.
On Thursday, Jill Biden and Brigitte Macron are also scheduled to visit Planet Word, a language-focused museum in Washington. French officials also said that Macron will attend a luncheon at the US State Department and meet with a bipartisan group of lawmakers.
On Thursday night, Macron will return to the White House to attend the Biden administration’s first official dinner. De Cases, CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault.
The White House hasn’t revealed who it invited to Thursday night’s lavish dinner, but it said in a preview that New Orleans native John Baptiste would be doing the song selection.
On Wednesday, Harris welcomed President Macron to NASA and celebrated the two countries’ cooperation in space. The first family also hosted a private dinner with President Macron ahead of Thursday’s formal state dinner.
On the final leg of his U.S. visit, Macron will visit New Orleans on Friday to highlight new efforts to expand French language education in the United States.
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
