Biden speaks with Macron, seeks to cement US-France ties

US President Joe Biden on Sunday spoke with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, expressing his desire to strengthen bilateral ties, the White House said. In a phone call, Biden also stressed his commitment to bolstering the transatlantic relationship, including through NATO and the United States’ partnership with the European Union, the White House said in a statement.

“The leaders agreed on the need for close coordination, including through multilateral organisations, in tackling common challenges such as climate change, COVID-19 and the global economic recovery,” it said.

Biden and Macron also agreed to work together on shared foreign policy priorities, including China, the Middle East, Russia, and the Africa's Sahel region, the White House said. This was Biden’s fourth phone call with a foreign leader after being sworn in as the US President on January 20.

Biden’s first two phone calls have been, as per tradition, with the leaders of its two neighbours - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico. Biden spoke with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday. After taking over the reins of the country, the Biden Administration has started reaching out to its traditional allies.

The defense secretary has so far spoken over the phone with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and his counterparts from Britain, Japan and South Korea. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has spoken with his counterparts from France, Germany, Britain, Japan, Afghanistan, South Korea and Israel.