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President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Britain, which begins Tuesday, will be heavy on pageantry. But both he and Prime Minister Keir Starmer hope for practical results.
July 8, 2025, 12:01 a.m. ET
When President Emmanuel Macron of France meets Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain in London this week, it could be a case of “misery loves company.” Both men have been humbled at home by political setbacks and stymied abroad by the disruptive ways of Donald J. Trump and Vladimir V. Putin.
Yet the extraordinary nature of this rendezvous — the first state visit by a French president since before Brexit and the first summit meeting between the British and French governments since Mr. Trump’s return to power — may be enough to lift them out of their domestic doldrums, at least for a few days.
Mr. Starmer hopes to announce more robust cooperation between Britain and France to curb migrant crossings of the English Channel. Both leaders will redouble their support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, meeting at a military base in northwest London on Thursday to continue planning for a European peacekeeping force they established in March, known as the “coalition of the willing.”
“State visits are usually stronger on pomp and protocol than substance, but this one may be different,” said Peter Westmacott, who served as Britain’s ambassador to France. “They realize that Britain and France have to take a lead, not least because of the capricious nature of Donald Trump’s commitment to Europe’s defense.”
Major breakthroughs on Ukraine and the migrant boat crossings appear unlikely, owing to the tricky international dynamics. But even more modest announcements would underscore how Europe’s two nuclear-armed nations are working together again, after years of friction following Britain’s exit from the European Union.
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