Antony Blinken, France's Le Drian discuss EU-US joint efforts against Russia, China

US State Secretary Antony Blinken and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Wednesday held discussions about the urgent need for joint US-European efforts to stand up to Russian aggression and to address the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) human rights abuses, coercive trade practices, and aggressive foreign policy. Blinken and his French counterpart Le Drian also reviewed the ongoing efforts to return to mutual compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal or JCPOA.

The two ministers met on July 14 in Washington, DC on the occasion of France’s national day. Secretary of State Blinken also unveiled a replica ‘Statue of Liberty’ an enduring symbol of French-American partnership at the French Ambassador’s residence. The replica statue which is three meters tall—compared to the famed 300-foot-tall New York version—is a token of US France friendship. Known as Liberty Enlightening the World, the statue had travelled via Liberty Island, south of Manhattan and was presented by France to the US in the late 19th century, according to reports.

Following the statue unveiling, the two counterparts held talks over the climate crisis, as well as agreed to form a bilateral partnership on clean energy.

“The Secretary and Foreign Minister also discussed France’s troop reconfiguration in the Sahel and efforts to address the situation in Lebanon, including the urgent need for that country’s leaders to form a government committed to and able to implement reforms to manage Lebanon’s economic crisis,” the US Department of State said in an official press release on Wednesday. 

Blinken welcomes  France’s Villa Albertine initiative

Furthermore, the two ministers discussed the tools available to support democratic governance, peace, and security in Haiti following the shocking assassination of President Moise. They agreed on the need of strengthening the 60 years of a close partnership between the US and France in space. Blinken invited France to join the United States in applying longstanding principles for the peaceful uses of outer space and to advance safe and responsible space exploration activities on the moon and Mars through the Artemis Accords. The US also welcomed France’s Villa Albertine initiative, which aims at establishing French cultural centres throughout the US, which Blinken stated would further strengthen close ties and a sense of shared values between the US and France.