Joint press statement

President Macron,
Cher Emmanuel,

Thank you so much for the warm welcome, and it’s really a pleasure to be back in Paris, and thank you also for your personal commitment to the transatlantic bond, and for your leadership in NATO.

It is a great opportunity to meet you just ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, and to discuss the final preparations for the upcoming NATO meeting.

We will take decisions to protect our security in a more dangerous world.

And we have seen that unfolding with the recent mutiny by Wagner mercenaries in Russia.
This is an internal matter for Russia. At the same time, it demonstrates once again that President Putin’s illegal war against Ukraine is a big strategic mistake. It has deepened divisions and created new tensions in Russia.

But we should not underestimate Russia, and we must continue to provide support to Ukraine. Because the more land Ukraine is able to liberate, the stronger they will be at the negotiating table, and the better the chance will be for a just and lasting peace.

I therefore commend and appreciate France’s vital contributions to Ukraine, including with vital military equipment and economic support.

In Vilnius, we will agree a multi-year package of assistance and upgrade our political ties. This will bring Ukraine closer to our Alliance.

Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO.

Once the war ends, we need arrangements in place for Ukraine’s security, so that history does not repeat itself.

At the Summit, we will also further strengthen our deterrence and defence. We are now putting in place new defence plans, with assigned forces and capabilities, and high levels of readiness.

France plays a major part in this. You have allocated thousands of troops to NATO, including the French leadership of a battlegroup in Romania. French jets keep the skies safe over eastern Allies, and your ships keep critical sea lanes open.

At this grave moment for our security, NATO-EU cooperation is more important than ever, and I welcome France’s strong commitment to further strengthen the partnership between NATO and the European Union.

One important area of cooperation between NATO and the European Union is actually in Kosovo. Our KFOR mission continues to fulfil its UN mandate impartially. We call on both parties to refrain from anything that can further escalate tensions, and return immediately to the EU-facilitated dialogue. This is the only way forward.

Today, we will also discuss the ambitious new defence investment pledge, which I expect NATO Allies will adopt when we meet in Vilnius at the NATO Summit, with 2% of GDP as a floor, not the ceiling for our defence spending. I commend France for boosting military spending by more than one-third in the coming years.

The Vilnius Summit will be the first with Finland as a member of the Alliance, and we are working to finalise Sweden’s accession as well. 

Therefore, I have called another meeting of senior officials from Türkiye, Finland and Sweden next Thursday in Brussels. The time is now to welcome Sweden as a full member of NATO.

Dear Emmanuel, once again, thank you so much for having me here, and I’m looking forward to our discussions. Thank you.