Liz Truss will head for talks with Emmanuel Macron today and call on Europe to unite to solve migrant crisis
- The Prime Minister will discuss the migrant crisis with France’s president today
- The bilateral meeting is hoped to reset relations between the two countries
- Miss Truss is attending the European Political Community summit in Prague
- The talks aim to secure progress on joint operations to disrupt people-trafficking gangs
The Prime Minister will hold talks on the migrant crisis with France’s president today at the inaugural gathering of his new grouping for European leaders.
Miss Truss is due to have a bilateral meeting with Emmanuel Macron at the Prague summit in an effort to reset relations between the two countries.
It comes after a major deal to tackle illegal Channel crossings collapsed in the summer after she said the jury was out on whether Mr Macron was a ‘friend or foe’.
Miss Truss is in Prague after being persuaded to attend the European Political Community summit. ‘It is obvious the British should have a place here,’ said a Macron adviser.
Miss Truss is due to have a bilateral meeting with Emmanuel Macron at the Prague summit in an effort to reset relations between the two countries
Downing Street said Ms Truss’s talks with Mr Macron and Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte will focus on migration and aim to secure progress on joint operations to disrupt people-trafficking gangs
Downing Street said Ms Truss’s talks with Mr Macron and Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte will focus on migration and aim to secure progress on joint operations to disrupt people-trafficking gangs.
No 10 added that the Prime Minister will encourage countries to act more quickly to end Europe’s reliance on Russian energy supplies in light of its invasion of Ukraine.
Ms Truss is expected to tell the opening plenary session in Prague: “Europe is facing its biggest crisis since the Second World War. And we have faced it together with unity and resolve.
“We must continue to stand firm – to ensure that Ukraine wins this war, but also to deal with the strategic challenges that it has exposed.”
After a major deal to tackle illegal Channel crossings collapsed in the summer Miss Truss said the jury was out on whether Mr Macron was a ‘friend or foe’
Ms Truss will seek to stress the UK’s role in European matters – including Ukraine – despite leaving the EU, Downing Street said.
The Prime Minister will say: “The threat was left to fester for far too long. Now, at last, we are tackling Putin’s aggression head on.
“And we should take the same approach with other challenges before us – including long-standing regional issues like energy and migration.
“Instead of the old approach which merely dealt with the symptoms, it’s time to address the fundamental causes.”
Ms Truss is expected to join Czech premier Petr Fiala for a working lunch.
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