London (AFP) – British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron convened for their first official bilateral meeting on Thursday, placing migrant Channel crossings, the ongoing Ukraine conflict, and the future of UK-EU relations at the forefront of their discussions.
Issued on: 03/09/2026 – 13:46Modified: 03/09/2026 – 14:14
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The summit took place at the Prime Minister’s Downing Street office and residence, coming just one day after both leaders attended a London preview of the historic Bayeux Tapestry alongside King Charles III, celebrating the enduring ties between their nations.
Burnham, who assumed office on July 20, and his wife Marie-France van Heel greeted President Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron at the iconic black door of Number 10 Downing Street.
Inside the residence, Burnham expressed his anticipation for productive conversations concerning the war in Ukraine, curbing illegal maritime migration from northern France, and “reinforcing the UK’s relationship with the European Union.”
President Macron characterized the gathering as a “very important moment” for Franco-British relations, indicating that “new initiatives” concerning the Middle East would also be on the agenda, though he offered no further specifics.
“I am here with a sincere desire and firm determination to draw our nations ever closer together,” Macron stated to Burnham.
Macron’s visit marks him as the first sitting EU leader to be hosted at Downing Street by the new British Prime Minister, although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a trip to the UK back in July.
For the French President, this diplomatic engagement holds particular weight as he enters the concluding phase of his presidency, with his term scheduled to conclude in May 2027.
‘Work Closer’
Burnham is determined to advance his predecessor Keir Starmer’s initiatives aimed at establishing deeper post-Brexit collaboration with the European Union, viewing this strategy as essential to stimulating the UK’s currently stagnant economic growth.
While advocating for a bolder approach to European integration, Burnham has chosen to uphold the rejection of rejoining the EU’s single market, customs union, and freedom of movement protocols that was established by Starmer.
“A decade after the Brexit referendum, people in this country are weary of the political stagnation, and there is a clear realization that we must pursue closer cooperation,” Burnham observed to reporters on Wednesday evening.
Macron acknowledged on Wednesday that the UK and France “do not always see eye to eye,” yet affirmed that “we respect one another and remain committed to open discussions on all matters, including advancing the UK’s reset with the European Union.”
According to a statement from Downing Street, both leaders planned to address the “emerging use of mega dinghies”—increasingly larger, more powerful vessels utilized by smuggling networks to transport irregular migrants to the southern English coastline.
Looking ahead, a specialized “surge team” comprising 45 French law enforcement officers is slated for deployment along coastal areas in the coming weeks to intercept these launches.
Earlier this week, the UK government announced that the summer had seen the lowest volume of small boat Channel crossings since 2019, crediting the success to its enforcement partnership with France.
‘Goodwill’
Nevertheless, in a pre-meeting statement from Downing Street, Burnham cautioned against complacency regarding the border security situation.
“People-smuggling networks are perpetually modifying their methods, demanding swift and adaptive responses from both the UK and France,” he remarked.
The British leader has pledged to sustain the United Kingdom’s unwavering support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, notably choosing Kyiv as the destination for his inaugural overseas visit last month.
During his tenure, Macron maintained a robust working relationship with former PM Keir Starmer, with both leaders taking prominent positions in the international coalition backing Ukraine.
Addressing attendees on Wednesday at the British Museum, Macron praised the UK’s decision to share with Ukraine technical data regarding the components of the SCALP missile—the French-manufactured counterpart to the British Storm Shadow cruise missile.
Together with their spouses, the heads of state and King Charles III along with Queen Camilla attended the museum to view the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition prior to its official public unveiling next week.
“This demonstrates what true collaboration can accomplish,” Burnham remarked to Macron on Thursday, characterizing France’s decision to lend the nearly millennium-old embroidery to the UK as a “significant personal demonstration of goodwill, trust, and friendship.”
President Macron was instrumental over the course of nearly ten years in advocating for the tapestry’s loan to Britain, a cultural exchange widely viewed as a meaningful stride toward mending the diplomatic rifts of the Brexit era.
The remarkable 11th-century artifact, which illustrates the Norman conquest of England led by William the Conqueror, was transported to London in July for a highly anticipated exhibition scheduled to remain open until July 2027.
