French President Emmanuel Macron has called for “strengthened co-operation on energy” as he congratulated Liz Truss on winning the Tory leadership.
Mr Macron said that despite the relationship between the UK and France being different now due to Brexit, there is strong co-operation in nuclear energy, which France is keen to continue.
Rising energy costs is one of the many topics faced by the incoming prime minister, with the average annual energy bills set to jump by 80 per cent in October from £1,971 to £3,549.
The energy crisis has become a global issue following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, which has contributed to the increase in oil and gas prices.
At a press conference on Monday, Mr Macron told journalists: “I welcome Liz Truss. I express congratulations on behalf of all of France and we are available to be able to work among, as they say, allies and friends.
“I think, whatever happens, we must on the subject of energy, as on others, have strengthened co-operation.”
He added that France and the UK share values and have faced shared challenges throughout their long history of friendship.
“The United Kingdom is a great country which is committed with us to defend the values of democracy by Ukraine’s side, and which also needs to strengthen its energy sovereignty and win the battle against climate change,” he continued.
“That is the real agenda and the rest is just political froth.”
Liz Truss's political career — in pictures
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New Conservative Party leader and Britain's Prime Minister-elect Liz Truss delivers a speech after being announced the winner of the Tory Party leadership contest in central London on September 5, 2022. Ms Truss is the UK's third female prime minister following Theresa May and Margaret Thatcher. AFP -
Liz Truss during a hustings event in Darlington in August 2022. Ms Truss and Rishi Sunak are awaiting the results of a poll of Conservative Party members deciding which of them has been selected as the new party leader, and next prime minister. PA -
Liz Truss playing pool during a visit to the Onside Future Youth Zone in London in August 2022. PA -
Boris Johnson and Ms Truss arriving for an extraordinary summit at Nato headquarters in Brussels, in March 2022. AFP -
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ms Truss arrive for talks in Moscow in February 2022. AP -
Ms Truss in Red Square during a visit to Moscow in February 2022. Photo: No. 10, Downing Street -
Ms Truss meeting European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic (not seen) for talks in central London on the Northern Ireland Protocol on 11th February 2022. PA -
Ms Truss with Marise Payne, the Australian minister of foreign affairs, at Government House in Sydney, Australia, in January 2022. Photo: No. 10, Downing Street -
Liz Truss hosts Vice President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic at Chevening House in January 2022 to discuss the Northern Ireland protocol. Photo: No. 10, Downing Street -
Ms Truss visits British troops in Estonia as they operate alongside other Nato troops in Tapa in November 2021. Photo: No. 10, Downing Street -
Liz Truss walks through the old town in Tallinn, Estonia, in November 2021. Photo: No. 10, Downing Street -
Ms Truss greeting Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow, in November 2021. PA -
Ms Truss at the Red Fort in New Delhi during a trip to India in October 2021. Photo: No. 10, Downing Street -
The British foreign secretary on the Plaza de la Constitucion in Mexico City, during a trip to Mexico in September 2021. Photo: No. 10, Downing Street -
Queen Elizabeth II greeting Ms Truss at a reception for international business and investment leaders at Windsor Castle in October 2021. PA -
Liz Truss with Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, in New York, in September 2021. Photo: No. 10, Downing Street -
Ms Truss on a morning jog over Brooklyn Bridge in New York in September 2021. Photo: No. 10, Downing Street -
Former Chancellor Philip Hammond, centre, holding his red ministerial box outside 11, Downing Street, flanked by Treasury colleagues Ms Truss and Mel Stride in October 2018. PA -
Ms Truss, then secretary of state for justice, being escorted around HMP Brixton by prison governor David Bamford in November 2016. PA -
Ms Truss as she became the first woman ever to hold the role of Lord Chancellor, arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice before being installed in July 2016. PA -
In April 2016, the former environment secretary Liz Truss listening to former chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne (not seen) during his speech at the National Composites Centre in Bristol. PA -
When she was environment minister, Ms Truss visited the bridge over the River Wharfe in Tadcaster, which collapsed after heavy flooding in December 2015. Getty Images -
Addressing the Conservative party conference in Birmingham in 2014 when she was secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs. Getty Images -
Mr Truss on the Sawnnington Farm to Fork stand at the Norfolk Food Festival at the Houses Of Parliament in October 2011. PA -
Conservative Parliamentary candidate for South-West Norfolk Elizabeth Truss, while canvassing in the village of West Walton during the 2010 General Election campaign. PA -
The former Conservative Shadow Home Secretary, Dominic Grieve, centre, speaking at the launch Reform's Lawful Society report on the nature of crime and the incentives in the criminal justice system while Ms Truss looks on, in September 2008. PA -
Former Conservative Leader William Hague meeting conservative candidate for Calder valley Ms Truss, during the General Election Campaign for 2005. PA
Ms Truss has not gone out of her way to develop a warm relationship with France, declaring during a leadership hustings in Norwich in August that the “jury is out” on whether Mr Macron is a “friend or foe” to the UK.
Meanwhile, leaders of the European Commission said they hoped for a “positive” and “constructive” relationship with Ms Truss in her new position.
Liz Truss elected as the next UK prime minister — video
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered her congratulations and added she wanted a “constructive relationship” with the new prime minister “in full respect of our agreements”.
Ms Truss has said she intends to press ahead with the Northern Ireland Protocol bill, which will allow the government to override parts of the agreement struck with the European Union on post-Brexit arrangements.
“The EU and the UK are partners,” Ms von der Leyen tweeted.
“We face many challenges together, from climate change to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I look forward to a constructive relationship, in full respect of our agreements.”
European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic, who has been leading the Brussels side in talks on enacting the Brexit arrangements, said a “positive relationship” between the UK and EU “is of great strategic importance”.
“I stand ready to work intensively and constructively with my new UK interlocutor to foster such a partnership, in full respect of our agreements,” Mr Sefcovic tweeted.
Elsewhere, other prominent politicians and national leaders congratulated Ms Truss on her victory.
Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the “deep friendship” between his nation and the UK will strengthen under her leadership.
Mr Netanyahu, who is now leader of the opposition and hopes to regain the premiership as Israel heads into another election cycle, went on to thank Boris Johnson for “valued contributions” to the relationship between the UK and Israel.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas offered her “heartfelt congratulations” and added that she is “looking forward” to meeting the new Conservative leader again soon, after meeting her during her time as foreign secretary.
Ms Kallas visited Downing Street in June to speak about strengthening the Nato alliance against Russian aggression — meeting departing prime minister Mr Johnson on the same day he faced a vote of confidence in his leadership.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent his “best wishes” to Ms Truss and added he has “high expectations” for how she will lead the UK.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also congratulated Ms Truss, tweeting: “I look forward to a continued constructive relationship and friendship between our nations and people.”
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that he hopes to further strengthen ties with the UK under Ms Truss’s leadership.
