Biden, Macron condemn Russia invasion
Steve Holland and Michel Rose and Jeff Mason |
Joe Biden has used the first state visit of his presidency to demonstrate unity with France’s Emmanuel Macron on Ukraine, show willingness to speak to Russia’s Vladimir Putin and assuage European anger over US subsidies.
The president and first lady Jill Biden were holding a White House state dinner on Thursday, featuring music from Jon Batiste and Chardonnay from the Napa Valley, in honour of President Macron and his wife, Brigitte.
But Ukraine, the biggest attack on a European state since 1945, remained the most pressing issue for the leaders, who vowed to continue robust support and to back Kyiv during the tough winter months.
Biden has resisted talking to Putin since the invasion was launched in February, while Macron has kept lines of communication open. Russia calls the war a “special operation”.
“Let me choose my words very carefully,” Biden told a news conference with Macron. “I’m prepared to speak with Mr Putin if in fact there is an interest in him deciding he’s looking for a way to end the war. He hasn’t done that yet.”
Macron, for his part, said he would continue to talk to Putin to “try to prevent escalation and to get some very concrete results” such as the safety of nuclear plants.
The two leaders also sought ways to ease some economic tensions in Oval Office talks.
Biden pledged to Macron to make changes to US legislation passed by the US Congress this year that European nations fear will harm their economies.
Bills aimed at boosting US renewable energy and the semiconductor industry had “glitches” that could be addressed, Biden said.
Macron raising French and European concerns about Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, a new $US430 billion bill that offers massive subsidies for US-made products and is aimed at addressing the climate crisis and promoting renewable energy.
European leaders say the legislative package signed by Biden in August is unfair to non-American companies and would be a serious blow to their economies as Europe deals with the fallout from Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine.
“There are tweaks that we can make that can fundamentally make it easier for European countries to participate and or be on their own,” said Biden.
Macron said it was important for the United States and its European allies to “re-synchronise” their approaches.
On Ukraine, the leaders said in a joint statement they were committed to holding Russia to account “for widely documented atrocities and war crimes”. Russia denies committing war crimes.
They also vowed to co-ordinate on their concerns regarding “China’s challenge to the rules-based international order, including respect for human rights and to work together with China on important global issues like climate change”.
Macron arrived in Washington on Tuesday for his second state visit to the United States since the French leader took office in 2017.
Biden, 80, and Macron, 44, have had many meetings at international gatherings but this was the longest time they have spent together.
The two leaders and their wives, who dined together informally at a restaurant on Wednesday, took part in a South Lawn arrival ceremony that featured a military honour guard and national anthems.
Reuters
