London, 22 November 2024
Thank you, Minister and cher David [Lammy], for your welcome.
This Franco-British friendship is 120 years old, the 120 years since the Entente Cordiale, which we celebrated this year on both sides of the Channel, and more than ever in a period where the world is being hit by a return to brutality.
The United Kingdom and France stand side by side to uphold justice, uphold international law and be actors for peace, actors for the defence of multilateralism, and actors for security.
In the past two months, David and I have met many times to discuss issues we promote together at the United Nations Security Council and, only very recently, this week in Warsaw, where, along with the Europeans, we spoke about issues affecting the continent’s security.
And in relation to our bilateral relationship, we still have a great shared desire to deepen our exchanges in order to strengthen ourselves and continue what we have, in the past, managed to accomplish together.
Thanks again for this welcome, and I look forward to the discussions we’re going to have./.