French President Emmanuel Macron received Joe Biden this Saturday (06/08/2024) in a solemn ceremony held at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which was the first stage of the first state visit of his American colleague to France. .
After the deployment of a huge security convoy that disrupted traffic in Paris, Biden and his wife, Jill, were received by Macron and his wife, Brigitte, near the Arc de Triomphe.
First, the national anthems of the two countries were played, the American ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ and the French “La Marseillaise”, and then Macron and Biden lit the flame dedicated to the “unknown soldier”, which pays tribute to the French soldiers who died during the First World War (1914-1918).
The two leaders listened to the national anthems again, this time a cappella. The event was closed by a display of four fighter jets, which flew over the Arc de Triomphe.
At the end of the ceremony, the leaders went to a working lunch at the headquarters of the French presidency, the Elysée Palace, to later hold a joint press conference in which they could address the war in Ukraine and in Gaza, among other burning issues.
Later, a Franco-American business meeting will be held and the day will end with a gala dinner.
Although the bilateral events with France began this Saturday, the American leader had landed in the European country last Wednesday, June 5, to participate in the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings that contributed decisively to the fall of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
Biden, who returns to his country tomorrow, Sunday, after visiting the American cemetery of Bois Belleau (outside of Paris), will thus complete an extensive five-day visit to France.
ct (efe, afp)
