Biden and Macron promised a US-French coalition on Ukraine

[post_published]

WASHINGTON: Following discussions at the White House on Thursday, US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to work together to support Ukraine and put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to make peace.

A growing US-EU trade issue appeared to have been resolved after protracted Oval Office discussions. On the second day of Macron’s unusual official visit to Washington, both presidents spoke at a joint news conference, emphasizing their aim to create a strong transatlantic alliance that supports democracy and stands up to Russia and China.

“We reiterate that France and the United States together, with all our NATO friends, the European Union, and the G7, stand as strong as ever against Russia’s terrible conflict,” Biden stated in reference to the situation in Ukraine.

The US president said that Putin should only meet with him “if he is seeking a path to stop the conflict.”

Although Biden’s indication that he would be willing to meet with Putin was his boldest to date, Macron said the two had agreed that “we would never pressure the Ukrainians to make a deal that will not be acceptable to them.”