Starmer to join Macron on Armistice Day in Paris to show European solidarity
GuardianNov 11
Starmer Attends Armistice Day in Paris With Macron
Above: French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) walk towards the statue of Winston Churchill in Paris, on November 11, 2024. Image copyright: CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer attended Armistice Day with French Pres. Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday, the first UK leader to do so since former Prime Minister Winston Churchill joined General Charles de Gaulle in 1944.
The Prime Minister's Office stated that his attendance in Paris for the 106th anniversary of the Armistice came following a "personal invitation" from Macron, and noted the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, and the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the liberation of Nazi-occupied France.
The Spin
Left narrative
Starmer's attendance in Paris at the personal invitation of Macron is a sign that relations between the UK and its European partners are finally beginning to heal post-Brexit. Given Germany's ongoing governmental collapse and uncertainty surrounding the decisions Pres.-elect Donald Trump may take in his second term, it's more important than ever that the likes of France and the UK come together in a sign of strength.
Right narrative
While Macron and Starmer's Armistice Day meeting may serve as a successful media stunt, it's unlikely to ensure meaningful change beyond superficial pleasantries. Migrants continue to illegally enter both the UK and France at record rates, while Europe remains unprepared to effectively defend itself if Trump decides to pull US support for NATO and Ukraine. Handshakes and photos are not enough to solve the growing list of crises.
Pro-Russia narrative
The true purpose of Starmer and Macron's meeting is clear — to push America to green-light the use of Western weapons in Russian sovereign territory. Despite repeated warnings by Moscow that any such action would be viewed as a major conflict escalation, it seems as if the UK, France, and its European partners are adamant about continuing their forever wars for personal gain.
