US President, Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron, President of France vowed to maintain a united front against Russia on Thursday, December 1, 2022 amid growing concerns about waning support for Ukraine’s war effort in the U.S. and Europe.
Biden honored Macron with a grand state dinner Thursday evening; the first of the U.S. president’s COVID-19 shadowed presidency for a foreign leader.
Republicans who are about to take control of the House however, have shown less willingness than Biden to spend billions on Ukraine, and Democratic lawmakers said they are not about to jump back into the climate legislation.
In fact, for all the positive statements, Macron’s visit to Washington has been tempered by his criticism of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and the challenges both leaders face amid the mounting costs of keeping military and economic aid flowing to Kyiv with no end in sight for the Russian invasion.
Despite the differences, Biden and Macron sought to underscore that the U.S.-France alliance remains solid and that the West must hold steadfast against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
“Today, we reaffirm that, as I said, we’re going to stand together against this brutality. Putin thinks that he can crush the will of all those who oppose his imperial ambitions by attacking civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, choking off energy to Europe to drive up prices, exacerbating the food crisis. That’s hurting very vulnerable people not just in Ukraine but around the world and he’s not going to succeed.”
President Joe Biden
Both leaders at an outdoor welcoming ceremony paid tribute to their countries’ long alliance but they acknowledged that difficult moments lay ahead as Western unity shows some strain nine months into the war in Ukraine.
In Washington, Republicans are set to take control of the House, where GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has said his party’s lawmakers will not write a “blank check” for Ukraine.
Across the Atlantic, Macron’s efforts to keep Europe united will be tested by the escalating costs of supporting Ukraine in the war and as Europe battles rising energy prices that threaten to derail the post-pandemic economic recovery.
Macron stressed that the issue has ramifications far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
“What is at stake in Ukraine is not just very far from here, in a small country somewhere in Europe but it’s about our values and about our principles. Our two nations are sisters in the fight for freedom.”
President Emmanuel Macron
Biden divulged that he would be willing to talk with Putin if the Russian leader demonstrates that he seriously wants to end the invasion.
“He hasn’t done that yet,” he added.
However, the U.S. President, as always, conditioned such talks on support by NATO allies.
Talks On The Clean Energy Law
In addition to their talk of Ukraine, the two leaders discussed Macron’s and other leaders’ concerns about the recently enacted clean energy law.
Macron has made clear that he and other European leaders are opposed to incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act that favor American-made climate technology, including electric vehicles.
Biden acknowledged “glitches” in the legislation but said “there’s tweaks we can make” to satisfy allies.
“The United States makes no apology and I make no apologies since I wrote it for the legislation we’re talking about,” Biden disclosed.
However, Macron said that even though the Biden administration’s efforts to curb climate change should be applauded, the subsidies would be an enormous setback for European companies.
“We want to succeed together, not one against the other,” Macron opined.
Additionally, Macron said the U.S. and France would “resynchronize” their clean energy efforts to ensure there’s no “domino effect” that undermines clean energy projects in Europe.
Both Biden and Macron in their public comments sought to keep the focus on the situation in Ukraine.
The state visit should provide a boost to Macron diplomatically that he can leverage back in Europe. His outspoken comments helped him demonstrate that he’s defending French workers, even as he maintains a close relationship with Biden.
The moment also helps Macron promote his image as the European Union’s most visible and vocal leader, at a time when Europe is increasingly concerned that its economy will be indelibly weakened by the Ukraine war and resulting energy and inflation crises.
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