Emmanuel Macron urged Britain and France “to shoulder the burden of European security” together as he appealed for the two nations to work more closely on issues including defence and the migrant crisis.
The French president delivered his remarks as the first European leader to receive a state visit to Britain and address both Houses of Parliament since Brexit was finalised in 2020.
In a passionate address, Mr Macron made clear the events that saw the UK leave the EU are in the past, and he hailed Sir Keir Starmer – whom he referred to as “dear Keir” – for his reset of the relations.
While he listed the economy, climate change and the immigration crisis as areas for cooperation, he put the need to defend Europe at the top of the agenda.
In particular, he asserted that Europe would “never accept that might is right” and would resist the Russian president’s attempts to subjugate Ukraine.
“Every time Vladimir Putin’s Russia advances in Ukraine, the threat moves closer to us all,” he warned, underlining the importance of a summit he and Sir Keir will host jointly on Thursday to help strengthen a “coalition of the willing” to ensure any peace settlement there.
However, with Nato members agreeing to spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence and the US withdrawing its support under Donald Trump, President Macron said that the UK and France must be the pillars on which European defence is built.
He said: “Our two countries, the only European nuclear weapon states, the leading armed forces of the continent, together accounting for 40 per cent of European military budgets, both fully shoulder the responsibility when it comes to European security.
“And we are faced with new threats, with aggressive nuclear powers, with sometimes hesitating alliances, and the return of major conflict on our continent. This is why, in two days, our summit is so important, and the announcement we prepared so historical,” he said in an address to UK parliamentarians.
He said there is an expectation that the UK and France, “faced with revisionist neighbours”, have a “special responsibility for the security of the continent”.
While President Macron, who was accompanied by his wife Brigitte, said that Brexit was “deeply regrettable”, he celebrated the return of a close bond between the two countries, which he saw as the pivotal relationship in Europe.
He appealed to MPs and peers gathered in the Royal Gallery to “not let the Channel grow any wider”.
In a sideswipe at populists, the European statesman, who has refused to meet Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, also drew inspiration from Winston Churchill’s vision of “a world order based on law, justice and respect for territorial integrity” that was “today being attacked on a daily basis as we witness direct attacks on our democracies, the return of war on our continent, the resurgence of imperial impulses and the flouting of international rules by destabilising powers”.
He also hailed an exchange of museum artefacts, which will see the Bayeux Tapestry displayed in the British Museum next year and the Sutton Hoo treasure to go to France, “as the beginning of this new era of exchange and the reopening of these mutual movements”.
He said it is time to “make sure that not only our two countries will save themselves by their own exertions, but also that we will save Europe by our example and our solidarity”.
The state visit is the first to the UK by an EU head of state since Brexit, and the first to be held at Windsor, rather than Buckingham Palace, for more than a decade, thanks to ongoing refurbishments at the London residence.
While the speech to MPs and peers was part of his visit, the focus of the evening was a state banquet hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The honour was granted ahead of Donald Trump receiving his second state visit to Britain which is expected to take place in September.
However, as well as the ceremonies and pageantry, the French president is due to settle down to discuss serious political business, with Sir Keir desperate to save his plan for a “one in, one out” deal to tackle the small boats.
The proposal is on the point of collapse because of French domestic politics and objections from other EU partners but the prime minister is under pressure to stop the small boats crossing with migrants.
In his speech, Mr Macron referred to the “closest ever cooperation” to end the crisis, but did not mention Sir Keir’s hoped-for deal.
In the first six months, 20,000 migrants came across the Channel from France amid frustration that the French authorities are failing to tackle the problem at source.
Earlier, the King and Queen rolled out the red carpet for the Macrons in Windsor.
Charles and Camilla warmly greeted the French leader and the first lady on a specially constructed royal dais near the town’s Windsor and Eton Riverside train station, with the castle in the backdrop.
Nearly 400 military personnel from the army, RAF and Royal Navy lined the high street along the ceremonial route, while a 41-gun salute sounded in nearby Home Park in Mr Macron’s honour to mark his arrival.
The Prince and Princess of Wales accompanied the visitors after meeting them at RAF Northolt in west London on Tuesday morning.
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