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After clashing final yr over sausages and submarines, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Britain’s Boris Johnson had been all smiles at a G7 summit on Sunday, with disputes over Brexit not even developing at bilateral talks targeted primarily on Ukraine.
The leaders of Europe’s two important army powers jovially exchanged pleasantries at the beginning of their assembly, reflecting what a French presidency official described as a deliberate try and “revitalise the connection and heat it up”.
The 2 had determined to concentrate on Ukraine and the implications of the battle there, somewhat than points that had divided them previously.
“The phrase Brexit wasn’t talked about, nor was the Northern Eire protocol,” the official stated, referring to phrases Britain negotiated for commerce between the EU and the British-ruled province, which Johnson has threatened to tear up.
On the final G7 summit a yr in the past, held on the coast of western England, Johnson demanded new guidelines to import chilly meat into Northern Eire, a quarrel dubbed the “sausage wars”. In September, Paris turned livid at London for agreeing a trilateral cope with the USA to produce submarines to Australia, changing plans for Canberra purchase French ones as a substitute.
Johnson’s workplace stated he and Macron agreed to supply extra help for Ukraine.
“They agreed it is a crucial second for the course of the battle, and there is a chance to show the tide within the battle,” a Downing Avenue spokesperson stated in an announcement.
Forward of the assembly with Macron, Johnson was requested whether or not France and Germany had been doing sufficient to assist Ukraine. Johnson, praised by Kyiv for offering help seen as extra strong than that of another European leaders, targeted his reply on Germany with out mentioning France.
A second French presidency official stated Macron had introduced up the topic of a European Political Group, an thought the president introduced up final month.
The intention can be to create a brand new construction, permitting nearer cooperation with nations in search of EU membership or wanting nearer ties with the bloc, suggesting post-Brexit Britain may very well be a part of it.
The official stated Johnson had proven “a number of enthusiasm” for the concept as a result of it may ease cooperation on particular topics with Europe with out being a part of the union, saying he had beforehand advised such an initiative in 2016. The official stated Johnson was welcome to say the concept was his.
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