CNN –
US President Joe Biden is taking part in a series of events as part of his first state visit since taking office, welcoming the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron and his spouse, Brigitte Macron, on Thursday.
The Macrons’ trip to the White House is their second time as guests of honor on a state visit, having first done so during Donald Trump’s administration in 2018. The agenda on Thursday is full of formal fanfare, with a slate of events expected to highlight the strength of the critical relationship between the US and its oldest ally.
The Macrons arrived at the White House on Thursday morning for a formal arrival ceremony.
The Elysée announced Thursday morning that Macron gave the president four gifts: a vinyl and a CD of the soundtrack to the film the first couple saw on their first date: “Un Homme et une Femme,” a cup from the house Christofle that symbolizes the links between France and France. the USA, a sweater from House Saint James and a watch from LIP Horlogerie. He also gave the first lady a copy of “Madame Bovary” and “The plague, the fall, the exile and the kingdom, and selected essays”, by Albert Camus. He gave Vice President Kamala Harris a model of the Ariane 5 rocket.
Macron’s return for another state visit also follows a dramatic upturn in US-French relations compared to just a year ago, when Macron took the extraordinary step of recalling his ambassador to Washington for a US-Australia submarine deal that blindsided the French and the French. it cost them a multibillion dollar defense contract. The riff appears to be largely behind them, and Biden and Macron have further deepened their ties over the past year in their joint efforts to combat Russia’s war on Ukraine.
“Throughout these events, you can expect to see on display both our shared history as allies and our deep partnership … on today’s and tomorrow’s most pressing global challenges,” said John Kirby, spokesman for the board of national security of the White House. he told reporters on Monday. “While there are specific areas where we anticipate that progress will be made during this visit, I want to emphasize that this visit really serves in large part as a celebration of the strong foundation of this relationship – one that is deeply rooted in our history, from the very beginnings of our country, while being directly oriented towards the future, and it is a very dynamic and exciting future that we look forward to.”
Most of the events surrounding Macron’s state visit take place on Thursday.
After the official arrival ceremony at the White House, Biden and Macron will hold bilateral talks. The two leaders plan to address a range of issues, including issues of common interest, including Ukraine, Iran and China, before holding a joint press conference.
“I fully expect, in a larger capacity here, that the issue of China will be very high on the agenda over the next few days with President Macron here,” Kirby told reporters on Wednesday.
US and French officials do not expect the visit to yield any major results, but both sides see it as an opportunity for the two countries to deepen their partnership on a range of global challenges. The two sides will also advance working group discussions that were launched following last year’s submarine affair to intensify cooperation on space, cyberspace and energy issues.
Still, there are areas of disagreement that are expected to emerge.
One of the biggest sticking points will be more than billions of dollars in subsidies for electric vehicles included in the Inflation Reduction Act, which only apply to those made in North America. Macron has criticized the move as protectionist and French officials said he intends to raise the issue in meetings with Biden and congressional leaders.
On Thursday, Jill Biden and Brigitte Macron are also scheduled to visit Planet Word, a language-focused museum in Washington. A French official also said President Macron is expected to attend a lunch at the US State Department and meet with a bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers.
On Thursday evening, the Macrons will return to the White House for the first state dinner of the Biden administration. French guests include film director Claude Lelouch, Louvre Museum director Laurence des Cars and LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, according to the French official.
The White House has not revealed who it has invited to Thursday night’s lavish dinner, but said in a preview that New Orleans native Jon Batiste will perform musical selections.
On Wednesday, Harris welcomed President Macron to NASA to celebrate both nations’ cooperation in space. The first family also held a private dinner with the Macrons ahead of Thursday’s formal state dinner.
During the final leg of their visit to the United States, the Macrons will travel to New Orleans on Friday to highlight new efforts to expand French language teaching in the US.
This story and headline have been updated with additional updates.