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Macron to host Biden in France, discuss Ukraine support

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Macron to host Biden in France, discuss Ukraine support
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference at the end of the international conference aimed at strengthening Western support for Ukraine, at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, on Feb. 26, 2024. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden on June 8 during Biden's first state visit to France, the White House announced on May 30.

The two will meet after the U.S. leader's participation in the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings on June 6.

Other Western leaders and President Volodymyr Zelensky are also expected to visit the D-Day commemoration, although Kyiv has not yet officially confirmed the presence of Ukraine's president.

Macron and Biden will discuss long-term support for Ukraine, as well as ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in economic, space, and nuclear spheres, the French presidency said in a statement, the Associated Press reported, citing Macron’s office.

The meeting will take place amid discussions about lifting the ban on Ukraine's right to strike targets on Russian soil with Western weapons. This move has already been publicly supported by more than 10 countries, including France.

Washington and Berlin, the top two providers of military aid to Ukraine, have been hesitant to allow Kyiv to strike Russian territory.

The U.S. officials have repeatedly said that they do not support or encourage Kyiv's strikes with American weapons on Russian soil, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz outright said that the policy won't change.

However, both countries are now signaling a potential change to their long-standing policy, according to recent statements and two articles published by Politico on May 29.

Washington, Berlin signal potential policy change, paving way for permission for Ukraine to strike Russian territory
U.S. and Germany are signaling a potential change to their long-standing policy of not allowing Ukraine to strike military targets on Russian territory with U.S. and German-supplied weapons, according to recent statements and two articles published by Politico on May 29.
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Kateryna Denisova

News Editor

Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years, covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics. Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.

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