France and the UK will support Ukraine as long as possible to “prevent a war of Russian aggression”, said French President Emmanuel Macron and Sir Keir Starmer.
The prime minister marked Armistice Day at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris as a guest of Macron on Monday, and held a meeting with his French counterpart to discuss the Russian invasion and stop illegal migration to the station.
A statement from the Elysee Palace said the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to “unwavering support for Ukraine”.
Their meeting came as questions were raised about US President Donald Trump's support for Ukraine after he said he could end the war “in one day”.
Macron personally invited the prime minister to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between France and the UK, which paved the way for greater diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.
The statement said the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment “to support Ukraine consistently and for as long as necessary to thwart Russia's war of aggression”.
There were no details on whether the pair would support allowing Ukraine to use long-range Storm Shadow missiles deep into Russian territory.
The key decision-maker as far as London and Paris remains is President Biden – who has so far not given Ukraine permission to use long-range ballistic missiles against targets inside Russia, for fear of escalation.
Questions have arisen following Trump's victory in the presidential election about what his second term might mean for America's support for Ukraine and NATO.
At the weekend, reports the Washington Post Trump has spoken to Vladimir Putin – urging the Russian leader not to escalate the war.
The Kremlin denied the wiretapping, saying the Washington Post article was “absolutely untrue”.
Macron thanked Sir Keir for being the first British leader to attend the Champs-Élysées ceremony since Winston Churchill in 1944.
During the commemoration of Armistice Day, Sir Keir also met French Prime Minister Michel Barnier before observing a minute's silence.
Sir Keir and Macron laid a wreath at Churchill's statue in Paris and drove in an open-top car to inspect troops around the Arc de Triomphe.
During their meeting, Sir Keir and Macron also pledged to “cooperate on channel migration, especially in the face of human trafficking networks,” the statement said.
The two discussed European security and “possibilities for a partnership” between the EU and the UK, as well as discussions on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
“Finally, the two leaders reiterated their desire to deepen bilateral relations, especially in security and defense,” the statement said.
Earlier, UK Defense Secretary John Healey said if the wiretapping reports were correct “then President Trump is right to warn Putin about the escalation in Ukraine”.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said he expected the United States to “remain focused” on supporting Ukraine because of the strength of “bipartisan support” in the country.
“We have increased our support to Ukraine, we are speeding up the delivery of aid, and now we are spending more money in Ukraine and supporting Ukraine than ever before,” he added.
The UK and France have said that supporting Ukraine against Russia is important when it comes to protecting the European continent as a whole.
Trump has told Nato members to increase defense spending, saying he would allow aggressors like Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to those who don't.
Bryan Lanza, who worked on Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, told the BBC that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should “a realistic vision of peace”which would not involve ending Russia's annexation of Crimea.
However, Donald Trump's spokesman distanced himself from these statements, saying that Mr. Lanza “does not speak for him”.
The Armistice Day meeting between Starmer and Macron comes as the conflict between Ukraine and Russia escalates.
Weekend trading has seen the largest drone attack by either side since the start of the war, and Russia's Defense Ministry said it intercepted 84 Ukrainian drones in six regions, including some close to Moscow.
On Sunday, Finance Minister Darren Jones told BBC One on Sunday on Laura Kuenssberg's show that the government. it wanted to increase defense spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of national income.
However, he did not say when the target will be reached and whether it will be achieved before the next election which may be held in 2029.
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