Truss and Macron signal progress on tackling Channel migrant crisis

UK prime minister also took the opportunity to hail French leader as 'a friend'

French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Prime Minister Liz Truss meet during the European Political Community Summit in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Thursday. AFP

The UK and France will work together more closely to tackle the migration crisis gripping both countries, British Prime Minister Liz Truss and French President Emmanuel Macron said during a meeting on Thursday.

The pair met outside the first summit of the European Political Community summit in Prague, a gathering for which Mr Macron pushed hard.

They said they looked forward to “an ambitious package of measures this autumn” to address migration across the English Channel.

And in a sign that Ms Truss hopes to improve relations with Mr Macron, she had no hesitation in calling him a “friend”, just weeks after refusing to do so.

The then British foreign secretary was widely criticised after she declined to say whether Mr Macron was a “friend or foe” when asked during the Conservative Party leadership contest.

Mr Macron later said it was a “problem” if Britain could not call itself a friend of France.

But as Prime Minister, Ms Truss adopted a different tone before the meeting.

“I work very, very closely with President Macron and the French government, and what we’re talking about is how the UK and France can work more closely together to build more nuclear power stations and to make sure that both countries have energy security in the future," she said.

“We’re both very clear the foe is [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, who has through his appalling war in Ukraine threatened freedom and democracy in Europe and pushed up energy prices which we’re now all having to deal with.”

Asked about Mr Macron's status with Britain, Ms Truss replied: “He is a friend.”

The meeting between the two leaders, which took place towards the end of the day, appeared to show some progress on the issues of migration and energy, which she had raised as priorities before the summit.

It also emerged that the two countries have agreed to hold a joint summit next year to “take forward a renewed bilateral agenda”, in a further sign of the desire for warmer relations.

“They further agreed to deepen co-operation on illegal migration within the bounds of international law, to tackle criminal groups trafficking people across Europe, ending in dangerous journeys across the Channel,” the leaders said in a statement.

“Interior ministers should conclude an ambitious package of measures this autumn. Leaders agreed to reinforce co-operation with near neighbours, including through an early meeting of the Calais group.”

France and the UK also expect to “conclude an ambitious package of measures this autumn” to help respond to small boat crossings in the Channel.

“They underlined their determination to provide all necessary support to Ukraine for as long as it takes to restore Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, to resist Russian aggression and to hold Russia to account for its actions,” the statement said.

“The president and the prime minister reaffirmed the strong and historic ties between their two countries.

"They agreed to hold the next UK-France summit in 2023 in France to take forward a renewed bilateral agenda.”

On energy, they said: “They confirmed the full support of the UK and French governments for the new nuclear power station at Sizewell and expect the relevant bodies to finalise arrangements in the coming month.

“The leaders committed to advance and increase UK-France civil-nuclear co-operation, including on innovation, infrastructure development and workforce skills, ahead of next year’s UK-France summit.”

European Political Community summit — in pictures

Leaders from more than 40 countries pose for a 'family photo' as they attend the European Political Community summit in Prague. AFP

British Prime Minister Liz Truss arrives for the first day of the inaugural gathering in the Czech capital. Getty Images

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to media as he arrives at Prague Castle. AFP

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala speaks to President of the European Council Charles Michel. AFP

Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrives at the summit. AFP

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic deep in discussion with Romania's President Klaus Werner Iohannis. EPA

Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krisjanis Karins, Liz Truss and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. EPA

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani Sadriu speaks to Viktor Orban. EPA

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen takes a seat. EPA

Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives. Getty Images

The UK prime minister also insisted she was not moving her administration closer to Europe.

Ms Truss, who has faced a torrid few days at home that included backbench revolts and a fractious party conference, sought to present the UK as a crucial ally in Europe against authoritarianism and as a staunch backer of Ukraine at the Czech summit.

But she was resolute that her attendance at the summit, alongside EU and some non-EU states, did not signal a fundamental shift in her perspective on the bloc.

“What this is about is working with all of our European partners to challenge [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s appalling war in Ukraine, but also to work together on the issues that we all face, huge energy costs, rising inflation and also migration across our continent,” she said on Thursday evening.

“So it is very important that we work with our neighbours and allies to face down Putin but also deal with the issues we face.”

Liz Truss's political career — in pictures

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

She denied that her attendance at the meeting, which also included face-to-face talks with her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte, signalled any hopes of easing UK-EU trade as a way to boost growth.

“This is not about moving closer to Europe,” Ms Truss said.

“This is about working with Europe on issues that we both face and both face rising energy costs, that’s why I took the decision to put in place the energy price guarantee so people in Britain weren’t facing bills of up to £6,000 [$6,700].

“That is why we’re working with our European neighbours on doing more on the North Sea, on offshore wind, which I have been talking about today.

“We’re working with our partners on more nuclear energy, so that we’re never in the same position again of being dependent on Russia and Russia using energy as leverage against free democracies.”

At a plenary session earlier, Ms Truss pitched the UK as a key Ukrainian ally, referring to the example of Vaclav Havel, the first president of the Czech Republic after the collapse of communism.