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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up a productive three-day summit in London with the signing of two key deals on nuclear security and immigration. Macron began his first post-Brexit state visit to the UK on July 9, 2025, with a series of impactful speeches and high-stakes diplomatic meetings.

The first deal, a joint migration initiative, aims to reduce dangerous migrant crossings of the English Channel through a “one in, one out” pilot program. The second marks the UK and France’s first formal nuclear pact, signaling a commitment to jointly deter extreme security threats facing Europe. The visit further reinforced cooperation on pressing geopolitical challenges, including the situations in Gaza and Ukraine.

“Our adversaries will know that any extreme threat to this continent would prompt a response from our two nations,” Starmer said at Northwood, a military headquarters northwest of London. “There is no greater demonstration of the importance of this relationship.”

Macron said no two countries had “this closeness on nuclear doctrine,” calling it a “message our partners must hear, as well as our adversaries.”

Macron’s visit marks the first state visit to UK since Brexit

President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Britain was the first by a French leader since 2008. The French president’s arrival was greeted by a regal ceremony by the British Royal family. Upon landing, Macron was welcomed by the British Monarch, including the Prince and Princess, before embarking on a royal tour by horse-drawn carriage towards Windsor Castle.

Macron addressed both houses of the British parliament in English as he underscored the need for the United Kingdom and France to reforge their strategic bond in the face of modern geopolitical challenges.

“The United Kingdom and France must once again show the world that our alliance can make all the difference,” he declared, urging a united front to confront the multifaceted crises of contemporary times. His remarks resonated not only with the significance of historical alliances but also with a forward-looking determination to address new threats emerging from an increasingly multipolar world.

Call for support on international crises

Macron’s speech laid out a dual agenda focusing on two of the most pressing international crises: the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza. Emphasizing unwavering solidarity with Ukraine, the French leader promised that “European countries would never abandon Ukraine” as it battles against invading forces. He went on to demand that all nations, especially close allies like the UK, help bolster Ukraine’s defense in its struggle against Russian aggression.

Addressing the devastation in Gaza, he maintained that “with Gaza in ruin and the West Bank being on a daily basis attacked, the perspective of a Palestinian state has never been put at risk as it is.” He emphasized that recognizing a Palestinian state is “the only way to build peace and stability for all in the whole region,” pressing London to support this crucial step toward an enduring resolution.

These appeals reflect Macron’s broader vision of a Europe that is both self-reliant and actively engaged in mediating some of the world’s most difficult conflicts. The president’s emphasis on de-risking dependencies from traditional superpowers like the United States and China further signals his desire to see Europe, and by extension, France and the UK, exercise greater autonomy in global affairs.

Forging bilateral ties

Beyond the immediate crises, Macron also addressed the strategies to recalibrate and enhance long-term cooperation between France and the United Kingdom. In his parliamentary speech, he called for enhanced collaboration across diverse sectors, including defense, immigration, climate, trade, and cultural exchange.

Macron detailed how the two nations, with their rich histories and intertwined destinies, could work together to create synergies in areas such as artificial intelligence, education, research, and protecting children online.

Highlighting the critical need to reduce “excessive dependencies” on external powers, he argued that the shared interests of the two nations warranted a decisive step towards mutual autonomy. “They needed to de-risk our economies and our societies from this dual dependency,” he stated, emphasizing that in an era of rapid global change, strategic independence is of utmost importance. The state visit was punctuated with a symbolic gesture reinforcing cultural ties.

Economic and cultural cooperation

A significant element of the visit was the announcement of a major economic partnership. French nuclear energy utility EDF revealed plans to invest $1.5 billion in a nuclear power project in eastern England, a move that aims to bolster energy security in the region. This deal underscores a shared commitment not only to economic revitalization but also to addressing energy sustainability, a critical component of broader climate and trade objectives.

In a gesture celebrating cultural diplomacy, the two countries also agreed on a historic exchange of prized artifacts. France will lend the Bayeux Tapestry, a seminal 11th-century masterpiece, to the UK for the first time in over 900 years, while London will reciprocate by loaning Paris treasures of Anglo-Saxon and Viking origin. Such cultural exchanges are seen as vital in reinforcing the social and historical bonds that underpin political and economic alliances.

A productive meeting with Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer. Strategic partnership, defence, energy, AI, space, migration, culture, strengthened support for Ukraine — we are moving forward together on all fronts.

Our work continues at the Franco-British Summit tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/PsY38TOzn8

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 9, 2025

Tackling the migration challenge

One of the most contentious issues discussed during the summit was migration across the English Channel. In recent years, the perilous journey by dinghy has seen a dramatic increase, driven largely by the absence of a cohesive system for managing asylum claims following Brexit. The summit hosted high-level discussions on a pilot scheme dubbed the “one in, one out” deal.

Under this arrangement, small boat migrants arriving in the UK illegally will be detained and returned to France, while an equal number of asylum seekers, who arrive through safe and legal routes, will be granted entry.

Speaking at a joint news conference in north west London, the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer affirmed, “Migrants arriving via small boat will be detained and returned to France in short order. In exchange for every return, a different individual will be allowed to come here via a safe route-controlled and legal-subject to strict security checks, and only open to those who have not tried to enter the UK illegally.”

He added that the pilot would initially involve just 50 people per week, emphasizing that the deal is designed to serve as a testing ground. Both leaders hailed the agreement as “groundbreaking,” with hopes that it would act as a deterrent to dangerous crossings and establish a new, coordinated approach between the two countries.

The discussion of migration also revisited the impact of Brexit on channel crossings. Macron attributed the increase to the fallout from the UK’s departure from the European Union, noting that “Many people in your country explained that Brexit would make it possible to fight more effectively against illegal immigration.” He explained, “But it’s in fact since Brexit, the UK has no migratory agreement with the EU. It creates an incentive to make the crossing, the precise opposite of what Brexit had promised.”

Amidst these discussions, there was also criticism from prominent voices regarding the feasibility of deporting illegal migrants without contravening human rights obligations. British Prime Minister Starmer remarked, “If we even try to deport people across the Channel, we will run straight into the European Convention on Human Rights as written into British law, in the Human Rights Act.”

“The lawyers will have a field day and will find lots of reasons why people cannot be deported. Nobody who crosses the English Channel illegally, in a boat, should ever be given refugee status, should ever be given leave to remain, and should be deported, and if we did that, it would stop within a fortnight,” Starmer added. These debates highlight the significant challenges in balancing effective border control with upholding international legal standards.

While the current pilot migration scheme has yet to detail its operational framework fully, the British leader indicated that its success could lead to an expansion of the program. “If the pilot proved to be successful,” he noted, “the numbers will ramp up,” underscoring a commitment to rethinking traditional approaches in response to evolving geopolitical realities.

Macron’s state visit to the United Kingdom has been a multifaceted exercise in diplomatic recalibration, an event designed to address immediate international crises, build long-term economic and cultural bridges, and tackle domestic challenges exacerbated by shifting political landscapes.

From pledging unyielding support for Ukraine and advocating for Palestinian statehood to spearheading a collaborative strategy against dangerous migration practices and fostering a renewed spirit of partnership, the visit stands as a testament to the evolving relationship between France and the UK.

This is my message to the people smuggling gangs: we will end your vile trade.

For the very first time, migrants arriving via small boat will be detained and returned to France.

My government has led the way in taking our countries’ co-operation to a new level. pic.twitter.com/9AufY74T9J

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 10, 2025