Beden to visit France next week

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, will visit Normandy and Paris from 5 June to 9 June to participate in the 80th anniversary of the landing of Allied troops in Normandy during World War II, the White House announced on Thursday.

Biden will give memorial talks on June 6th, and then meet with France's president, Emmanuel Macron, in Paris on June 8th, as part of a state visit, the White House said in a communiqué.

Macron's office, meanwhile, said the two presidents would talk “about the need for sustained and long-term support for Ukraine”, at a time when the war has returned to Europe, 80 years after troop debacles led to France's liberation and continent from invasion by Nazi Germany.

The following week in Normandy, leaders of 25 states and governments, along with dozens of World War II veterans, will be gathered to honour nearly 160,000 troops from Britain, the United States, Canada and other countries who landed on June 6, 1944.

Even Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is expected to attend.

Beden's state visit will enable “close co-operation” between France and the US for global crises, on the eve of international events, including the summit of the Group of Seven big economies next month in Italy, as well as the NATO summit in Washington in July.

They will also talk about climate-related issues, and will focus on strengthening bilateral co-operation, especially in areas such as economy, space and nuclear, the report says.