Emmanuel Macron has offered Liz Truss an olive branch after her controversial “friend or foe” comments, saying after their first bilateral talks it’s time to “move on”.
The two leaders appeared to ease tensions during their meeting in New York, which No 10 said was dominated by Ukraine and energy security, but avoided the contentious issues of the Northern Ireland protocol and migration.
After the talks, the French president told reporters: “Now I believe in the evidence, in the results. There is a will to re-engage, to move forward and to show that we are allies and friends in a complex world.”
During the Tory leadership contest, Truss said the “jury is out” on whether Macron was a “friend or foe” after his predecessor Boris Johnson clashed with him over Brexit and small boats crossing the Channel.
Liz Truss: ‘The jury is out’ on whether Macron is Britain’s friend or foe – video
In what appeared to be a softening of her stance, Truss told reporters on the plane to New York that she wants to have a “constructive” relationship with France, working with Macron on migration, Brexit, energy security and Ukraine.
Government sources suggested the Prime Minister’s more conciliatory tone reflected her desire to be diplomatic on the day of the Queen’s funeral, although after the talks, No 10 said the two leaders wanted to “strengthen” the their relationship
After the Queen’s death, the French president tweeted about the “unbreakable” ties between France and the UK.
Number 10 and French sources confirmed there had been no discussion of the potential flashpoint issue of the post-Brexit trade relationship. However, the French claimed that migration had been brought up by Truss, but only in passing.
French sources revealed that the two leaders briefly discussed Macron’s European political community project to address the political and security challenges facing the continent.
The government is wary of the suggestion that the UK could join the new body and the prime minister’s official spokesman said Truss wanted to know more details before giving his opinion, amid concerns it could rival the G7 as the best forum for cooperation.
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After the meeting, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The leaders welcomed the impressive progress made by the Ukrainian armed forces in recent days. They agreed on the importance of Ukraine’s friends and allies staying the course and giving support to the country militarily, economically and politically.
“As our people face a difficult winter with great uncertainty in energy supplies and the cost of living, the Prime Minister and President Macron underlined the importance of working together to end dependency of Russian energy and strengthen energy security. We must continue to demonstrate this [Vladimir] Putin that his economic blackmail on the supply of energy and food will not succeed.
“The Prime Minister and the President looked forward to strengthening our partnership with France and other like-minded European nations, including through the G7 and NATO.”