On July 8, French President Emmanuel Macron called for Britain and France to work together to tackle growing global instability and reduce their overreliance on major powers like the United States and China. Speaking in a rare joint session of the British Parliament, Macron emphasized the importance of a united front to safeguard Europe. His speech, part of a historic state visit—the first by a European leader since Brexit—highlighted the strengthening of UK-France relations. Earlier, Macron had been welcomed with royal ceremony by King Charles and other senior royals before proceeding to address lawmakers.

Macron stressed the need for deeper collaboration in areas such as defense, immigration, climate change, and trade. “Together, we must prove that our alliance can truly make a difference,” he stated. He warned of the risks of becoming too dependent on both the US and China and advocated for “de-risking” their economies and societies. He also spoke of enhancing mobility and cooperation for students, artists, and researchers between the two countries, as well as working jointly on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and child safety online.

The visit marks a shift toward closer ties sought by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour government, aiming to rebuild relations with European allies following post-Brexit tensions. At a state banquet in Windsor Castle, King Charles referred to a new phase of friendship, updating the historic "entente cordiale" (from 1904) to an "entente amicale," signaling a warmer, forward-looking partnership.

During the three-day visit, several announcements were made, including a £1.1 billion investment by France's EDF in a UK nuclear project, and cultural exchanges such as the temporary return of the historic Bayeux Tapestry to Britain, with the UK lending France valuable Anglo-Saxon and Viking artifacts in return. Despite ongoing disputes—particularly over post-Brexit immigration and efforts to curb illegal Channel crossings—both nations are cooperating to form a joint military force for Ukraine in case of a truce with Russia.

Starmer is pushing for a reciprocal asylum deal where Britain would return migrants to France in exchange for legitimate asylum seekers, though France has so far resisted, preferring a broader EU-wide approach. The issue is pressing for the UK government, with a record number of asylum seekers arriving by small boats in the first half of the year, and pressure mounting as Starmer trails Reform UK in the polls.