It’s the first time a British leader has been hosted for Armistice Day in France since Winston Churchill joined General Charles de Gaulle in 1944, Starmer’s office said.
ADVERTISEMENTBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer is joining French President Emmanuel Macron at a Paris ceremony marking the 106th anniversary of the Armistice.
Their meeting signifies a celebration of the two countries’ friendship, as nations across the world pay tribute to their fallen soldiers in World War I.
The Paris ceremony echoes Franco-British commemorations that occired 80 years ago, when Allied troops liberated most of France’s territory from Nazi occupation, Macron’s office said.
This year also marks the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, the historic agreement between France and the United Kingdom.
Starmer was personally invited to Paris by Emmanuel Macron, and the two leaders are expected to discuss a number of foreign policy issues including the war in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The meeting marks a significant step in Starmer’s plans to reset relations with the European Union following the UK’s exit in 2020.
The two leaders first met at the Elysée presidential palace, before heading toward the Champs-Elysees avenue to lay wreaths at the nearby statues of Georges Clemenceau, French prime minister at the time of the Armistice, and Churchill.
They will then lead the traditional ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe monument where they will relight the flame of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The French Army Choir is to sing France’s national anthem, “La Marseillaise,” and the British anthem, “God Save the King.”
Starmer will also host veterans, defence charities and British military personnel at the ambassador’s residence, and is expected to meet the new French prime minister Michel Barnier.
“I am honoured to be in Paris to stand united with President Macron in tribute to the fallen of the First World War who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we enjoy today,” Starmer said.
The prime minister also announced that the British government has earmarked more than £10 million (€12 million) for next year’s 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe and the subsequent defeat of Japan which ended World War II.
