LONDON — French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in Britain on Tuesday for a state go to mixing royal pageantry with thorny political talks about stopping migrants from crossing the English Channel in small boats.
Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer will even attempt to advance plans for a post-ceasefire security force for Ukraine, regardless of obvious U.S. indifference to the thought and Russia’s refusal to halt the onslaught on its neighbor.
Macron’s three-day go to, on the invitation of King Charles III, is the primary state go to to the U.Ok. by a European Union head of state since Brexit, and a logo of the British authorities’s want to reset relations with the bloc that the U.Ok. acrimoniously left in 2020.
The president and his spouse, Brigitte Macron, will probably be pushed to Windsor Fortress by horse-drawn carriage, greeted by a navy honor guard and handled to a state banquet hosted by the king and Queen Camilla. The British royals made a state visit to France in September 2023.
Macron additionally will deal with each homes of Britain’s Parliament within the constructing’s fabulously ornate Royal Gallery earlier than sitting down for talks with Starmer on migration, protection and funding.
At a U.Ok.-France summit on Thursday, senior authorities officers from the 2 international locations will talk about small-boat crossings, a thorny concern for successive governments on either side of the channel.
Britain receives fewer asylum-seekers than Mediterranean European international locations, however hundreds of migrants annually use northern France as a launching level to achieve the U.Ok., both by stowing away in vehicles or — after a clampdown on that route — in small boats throughout one of many world’s busiest transport lanes.
The U.Ok. has struck a collection of offers with France through the years to extend patrols of seashores and share intelligence in an try to disrupt the smuggling gangs.
It has all had solely a restricted impression. About 37,000 folks had been detected crossing the English Channel in small boats in 2024, the second-highest annual determine after 46,000 in 2022. Greater than 20,000 folks made the crossing within the first six months of 2025, up by about 50% from the identical interval final yr. Dozens of individuals have died making an attempt the crossing.
Starmer, whose center-left authorities was elected a yr in the past, has pledged to “ smash the gangs ” behind organized people-smuggling. His plan rests on nearer cooperation with France and with international locations additional up the migrants’ route from Africa and the Center East. The U.Ok. additionally goals to strike offers with particular person nations to take again failed asylum seekers.
British officers have been pushing for French police to intervene extra forcefully to cease the boats, and welcomed the sight of officers slashing rubber dinghies with knives in latest days.
U.Ok. House Secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned the French are “bringing in essential new techniques to cease boats which might be within the water.”
Britain is also pushing France to let officers intervene towards boats in deeper waters, a change the federal government in Paris is contemplating. Campaigners for migrants’ rights and a police union warn that doing so might endanger each migrants and officers.
Starmer spokesperson Tom Wells mentioned among the techniques being mentioned are “operationally and legally advanced, however we’re working intently with the French.”
The 2 leaders have labored intently collectively to rally help for Ukraine, although they’ve taken contrasting approaches to U.S. President Donald Trump, with Macron extra prepared to problem the American president than the emollient Starmer.
Britain and France have led efforts to kind a world peacekeeping drive for Ukraine to strengthen a future ceasefire with European troops and tools and U.S. safety ensures.
Trump has proven little enthusiasm for the thought, nonetheless, and a ceasefire stays elusive. British officers say the “coalition of the prepared” concept is alive and properly, with Macron and Starmer attributable to be part of a world videoconference on Thursday to debate planning for the drive.
Starmer spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday in regards to the “important progress being made by navy planners,” the British chief’s workplace mentioned.