Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden marked the start of the US president’s official state visit to France with a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, reports The Guardian.
The event followed the leaders’ presence at commemorations for the 80th anniversary of the D-day landings in Normandy on Thursday.
The two leaders are expected to discuss Ukraine, the war in Gaza, global security and the strengthening of Nato, and policy issues including the climate crisis and naval cooperation.
An Élysée source said Macron and Biden had a warm relationship and cited the fact the US president was spending five days in France as evidence of the importance he attributed to the visit.
In Paris on Saturday, the leaders oversaw the placing of a large wreath at the flame of the unknown soldier underneath the Arc de Triomphe before a minute’s silence. Afterwards, Biden’s vehicle was accompanied back down the Champs-Élysée by the mounted Republican Guard.
The two leaders were due to hold official talks before a state banquet for the US president and his wife at the Élysée on Saturday evening.
At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, both presidents welcomed the return of four hostages rescued by the Israeli army in Gaza.
“We won’t stop working until all the hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached,” Biden said.
He also said the US would continue to support Ukraine and reiterated his warning that if Russia triumphed “Putin would not just stop at Ukraine. All of Europe would be threatened.”