UK: Prime Minister Starmer Attends Armistice Day in Paris With President Macron
UK: Prime Minister Starmer Attends Armistice Day in Paris With President Macron
The Facts
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has attended Armistice Day with French Pres. Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday, the first UK leader to do so since former Prime Minister Winston Churchill joined General Charles de Gaulle in 1944.
The Prime Minister's Office stated that his attendance in Paris for the 106th anniversary of Armistice came following a "personal invitation" from Pres. Macron, and noted the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, and the 80th anniversary of the beginning of liberating Nazi-occupied France.
The Spin
Starmer's attendance in Paris at the personal invitation of Macron is a sign that relations between the UK and its European partners are finally beginning to heal post-Brexit. Given Germany's ongoing governmental collapse and uncertainly surrounding the decisions Trump may take in his second term, it is more important than ever that the likes of France and the UK come together in a sign of strength. The traditional ceremony in remembrance of how Europe once fought to defend democracy, not attended by a British leader since Winston Churchill, is an apt stage for such a message to be sent across the world.
While Macron and Starmer's Armistice Day meeting may be a successful media stunt, it is unlikely outside of the exchange of superficial pleasantries the event will ensure meaningful change. Migrants continue to illegally enter both the UK and France at record rates, while Europe remains unprepared to effectively defend itself if Trump decides to pull US support for NATO and Ukraine. With Pres. Biden yet to convince Trump to continue war efforts against Ukraine, and Labour unwilling to set out a plan to reach 2.5% GDP spending on defense, handshakes and photos are not enough to solve the growing list of crises.
As has been reported by The Telegraph, the purpose of Starmer and Macron's meeting is clear: to push America to green light the use of Western weapons in Russian sovereign territory. Despite repeated warnings by Moscow that any such action would be viewed as a major conflict escalation, it seems as if the UK, France, and its European partners are adamant on continuing their forever wars for personal gain.
