Ajit Karn
On Friday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will travel to France to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in an effort to strengthen their cooperation on migration and Ukraine and establish a new beginning between the two nations following years of Brexit disputes.
Rishi Sunak, who became prime minister in October, will seek to capitalise on renewed goodwill to end years of tension over issues spanning from migration to fishing during discussions in Paris.
The countries’ support for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion has strengthened bilateral relations, and the upcoming meeting is viewed as an opportunity to further strengthen them.
“The priority of this summit is to reintegrate,” said a French presidential adviser.
Relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union have improved as a result of the Windsor Framework, a new agreement with the bloc intended at resolving issues with Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements.
Later this month, King Charles will make his first state visit as monarch to France.
Rishi Sunak and Emmanuel Macron established a personal rapport during their first face-to-face meeting at the COP27 summit in Egypt in November, two weeks after Rishi Sunak became prime minister, with British publications dubbing their relationship “Le Bromance.”
Rishi Sunak has sought a reset with France following the deterioration of relations under his successors Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. He hopes to collaborate with Paris to combat the large number of migrants who arrive in small vessels in southern England.
In November, the United Kingdom and France inked an arrangement worth 72.2 million euros ($74.5 million) to intensify efforts to prevent illegal migrants from risky crossings of the English Channel.
Friday’s meeting is also anticipated to place a high priority on the issue, with Sunak expected to bring it up in an effort to prevent border incursions.
A source at Number 10, the prime minister’s office, stated that it was crucial for London and Paris to collaborate on the global issue of migration in order to increase surveillance and crack down on the criminals operating the boats.
The summit on Friday will be an opportunity to do just that, according to a source.
FIGHTER JETS
On Tuesday, the United Kingdom unveiled the specifics of a new law prohibiting the entrance of asylum seekers arriving in small vessels across the English Channel, a proposal that could be impractical and criminalise the efforts of thousands of genuine refugees, according to some charities.
When asked about the British government’s announcement regarding small vessels, French officials stated that it did not alter the fact that there has been no bilateral agreement regarding the readmission of migrants to France since Brexit.
“We do not foresee any significant impacts on the French coasts at this time. Since Brexit, we have not had a legal instrument to assist regulate the movement of migrants between the two coasts “official statement
According to analysts, the issue of immigration is not as contentious in France as it is in Britain.
The analyst at the Institut Montaigne in Paris, Georgina Wright, stated, “Paris is aware that this is an extremely important issue for the Prime Minister, his party, the Labour Party, and many Britons.” Some new developments will be announced, but they will likely fall short of London’s expectations.
According to Elysee advisers, the French are eager to strengthen defence relations, including through the joint instruction of Ukrainian soldiers, and to make their two competing future fighter jet programmes, FCAS and Tempest, compatible.
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Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, with a British ship joining French naval patrols in the region, and nuclear energy, including funding for EDF’s Sizewell C nuclear project in the United Kingdom, will also be focal points of the summit, they said.
