Thursday, September 19, 2024

Macron: West can’t have ‘dual standards’ over Gaza and Ukraine

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He spent two days in northern France at commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, including at an international ceremony that Rishi Sunak controversially failed to attend.

However, Mr Sunak will meet the pair next week at the G7 summit in Apulia, southern Italy, where Mr Macron said he hoped to reach agreement on a new €50 billion (£42 billion) “Solidarity Fund” for Ukraine.

The next major meeting, at the Nato leaders’ summit in Washington DC on July 9, will be attended by whichever UK party leader wins the general election five days earlier.

Mr Biden welcomed the news of the rescue of four hostages in Israel, telling reporters: “We won’t stop working until all the hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached. That is essential to happen.”

Mr Macron called for an immediate end to Israel’s military operation in Gaza, which began after the Oct 7 Hamas terror attacks.

“After nine months of conflict, the situation in Rafah and the human consequences are unacceptable,” he said.

“It is not acceptable that Israel should not open all checkpoints to humanitarian aid, as requested by the international community for months. Israeli operations should stop there.”

Mr Biden was welcomed to Paris by a parade from the Arc de Triomphe, along the Champs-Élysées to the Élysée Palace.
He met military veterans and watched pipers and mounted cavalry process towards the palace.

It is unusual for an American leader to spend so long outside of the country in the months leading up to a presidential election, although Mr Biden has used the trip to make coded references to Donald Trump, his Republican rival.

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