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WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (AP) President Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron vowed Thursday to maintain a united front against Russia amid growing concerns about U.S. and European support for the war effort in Ukraine weakened.
Biden also said he might be willing to tweak aspects of his signature climate legislation that have raised concerns in France and other European allies.
Biden paid tribute to Macron with a lavish state dinner Thursday night – the US president’s first as a foreign leader during his COVID-19 shadow presidency. But following up on Biden’s upbeat comments may not go as smoothly as that peculiar affair. Republicans who will take control of the House of Representatives are less willing than Biden to spend billions of dollars on Ukraine, and Democratic lawmakers said on Thursday they do not plan to revisit climate legislation.
In fact, despite all the positive statements, Macron’s visit to Washington was overwhelmed by his criticism of Biden’s inflation-reduction bill and the two leaders’ struggles over the rising costs of keeping military and economic aid flowing to Kyiv. The challenges facing leaders have eased without ending the situation. Russian invasion.
Despite their differences, Biden and Macron sought to emphasize that the U.S.-French alliance remains solid and that the West must stand firm against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
“Today, we reaffirm, as I said, that we will stand together against this atrocity,” Biden said. “Putin thinks he can crush the will of all who oppose his imperial ambitions by attacking Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, cutting off energy to Europe to drive up prices, and exacerbating the food crisis. This hurts very much not only in Ukraine but around the world A weak man, he will not succeed.”
The two leaders paid tribute to the longstanding alliance between the two countries at an outdoor welcoming ceremony. But they acknowledge that difficult times lie ahead as solidarity in the West shows that some have been fighting the war on Ukraine for nine months.
In Washington, where Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives, Republican leader Kevin McCarthy has said Republican lawmakers will not write a “blank check” for Ukraine. Across the Atlantic, Macron’s efforts to keep Europe united will be tested by the rising costs of supporting Ukraine in the war and by Europe’s struggle with rising energy prices that threaten to derail the post-pandemic economic recovery.
Macron stressed that the problem extends far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
“The stakes for Ukraine are not just far from here, but a small country somewhere in Europe,” he declared. “But it’s about our values. And our principles.”
“Our two countries are sisters fighting for freedom,” he said.
Biden said he was willing to talk to Putin if the Russian leader showed he really wanted to end the invasion. But the US president has traditionally made such talks conditional on the support of NATO allies.
“If he’s really interested in deciding that he’s looking for a way to end the war, I’m ready to talk to Mr. Putin,” Biden said. “He hasn’t done that yet.”
In addition to their conversation about Ukraine — which White House officials said was at the top of the agenda — the two leaders also discussed concerns that Macron and other leaders had about the recently enacted clean energy law.
Macron has made clear that he and other European leaders oppose incentives in the inflation-reducing bill that favor American-made climate technologies, including electric cars.
Biden acknowledged “glitches” in the legislation but said “we can make some adjustments” to meet allies’ demands.
“America has not apologized. I have not apologized since I wrote this article for the legislation we are discussing,” Biden added of the legislation.
However, Macron said that while the Biden administration’s efforts to curb climate change are laudable, subsidies would be a huge setback for European companies.
“We want to succeed together, not against each other,” Macron added, saying the U.S. and France would “resynchronize” their clean energy efforts to ensure there were no “dominos” that would undermine Europe’s clean energy projects. domino effect”.
On Capitol Hill, despite Biden’s talk of possible law changes, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, one of the bill’s main architects, said, “Congress has passed a law to accelerate the development of the electric vehicle industry in the United States.” , creating good-paying American jobs while fighting climate change. I have no intention of reopening it.”
The EU has also expressed concern that tax credits in the law would discriminate against European producers and violate World Trade Organization rules.
The two leaders met with aides for about three hours after hundreds of people gathered on the South Lawn for a formal ceremony on a sunny, chilly morning. There was a 21-gun salute and a review of troops, and ushers distributed small French and American flags to the guests.
Both Biden and Macron have tried to focus on the situation in Ukraine in their public comments.
The state visit should give Macron a diplomatic boost to play a role in Europe. His outspoken remarks have helped him demonstrate that he is defending French workers, even as he maintains a close relationship with Biden. The moment also helped Macron establish his image as the EU’s most visible and outspoken leader at a time when Europe is increasingly concerned that its economy will suffer from the war in Ukraine and the resulting energy and inflation crises. indelible weakening.
To this end, Biden praised Macron as “not only the leader of France”, but also “very outspoken and very commanding in Europe”. In his public comments, Macron repeatedly referred to the US president as “Dear Joe”.
Still, Macron’s rhetoric has at times angered U.S. and Ukrainian officials, calling for Ukraine and Russia to meet at the negotiating table. White House officials have publicly insisted that it is entirely up to the Ukrainian leadership to decide when it is appropriate to engage with Russia, emphasizing that the war could end immediately if Putin stops the incursions.
Macron also raised eyebrows in a speech at the Bangkok summit earlier this month when he referred to the US and China as “two elephants” that were on the verge of causing “big problems for the rest of the jungle”. the cusp of the storm. His visit to Washington came as both the US and France set their sights on China after protests erupted in several mainland Chinese cities and in Hong Kong against Beijing’s “zero COVID” strategy.
The state visit marks a return to the White House tradition of honoring close allies abroad that began during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant.
Macron and his wife Brigitte arrived in the United States with gifts carefully tailored for their American hosts, including vinyl records and a CD of the soundtrack to the 1966 film “Men and Women,” the Bidens said in their Went on a trip to see this movie on my first date, Izumi.
Among the gifts to the Macrons from Biden and first lady Jill Biden was a mirror made of fallen wood from the White House and made by an American furniture maker.
Vice President Kamala Harris hosted Macron for lunch at the State Department in a huge tented pavilion built on the South Lawn of the White House, followed by a state dinner in the evening. (Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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