Foreign Affairs

NATO - Q&A - (26.01.22)

Q : Are France's NATO assurance measures calculated in the context of the military posture taken in the face of the Russian army? A : France's participation in NATO's assurance measures falls under the framework of the Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP). Since 2016, this collective mechanism has been deployed in Poland and in three Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). The French Lynx mission, which includes at present over 300 soldiers and a dozen Leclerc tanks, is contributing to (...)

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

Russia - Q&A - (26.01.22)

Q : What is France's take on Russian troop movements? Are these movements illegal according to the bilateral Russia-NATO agreements that are currently in effect? Has France observed any Russian military or naval violations of customs practices and agreements on overflights and intrusive navigation? A : Over the past several months, France has noted an unusual, substantial, concerning concentration of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border. President Macron, the Minister for Europe and (...)

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust - Statement by Jean-Yves Le Drian (27 Jan. 22)

On this International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, which commemorates the 77th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and has also become a day for remembrance of genocides and the prevention of crimes against humanity, France reiterates its commitment to the memory of the Holocaust never being concealed, distorted or forgotten. The Nazi regime and its partners and collaborators, who participated in these unprecedented crimes in the history of (...)

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

Jean-Yves Le Drian addressed the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (Brussels, Jan. 25)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian testified at a hearing of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday as part of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union and in the wake of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting held on January 24. In addition to reiterating that European sovereignty is the French presidency's main theme, the minister also presented the presidency's priorities with respect to the Common European Security Policy (...)

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

OECD - Opening of accession negotiations (Jan. 26)

The Council of the OECD decided today to open accession discussions with Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Peru and Romania. The opening of these discussions constitutes the first step in the rigorous accession process whose outcome will depend on the reforms undertaken by the candidate countries in order to move into alignment with the OECD's values, norms and standards. At the request of France and its partners, the OECD Secretary General sent a letter to the candidate countries (...)

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

President Biden Announces Key Regional Appointments for USDA and SBA

WASHINGTON - Today, President Joe Biden appointed the following individuals to serve in key regional leadership roles at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA): Deborah Tannenbaum, USDA State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, Florida Dennis McKinney, USDA State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, Kansas Robert Andrzejczak, USDA State...

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

President Biden Statement on First Year GDP Growth

The GDP numbers for my first year show that we are finally building an American economy for the 21st Century, with the fastest economic growth in nearly four decades, along with the greatest year of job growth in American history. And, for the first time in 20 years, our economy grew faster than China's. This...

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 27, 2022

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room 1:50 P.M. EST MS. PSAKI: Hi, everyone. Okay, just a couple of items for all you at the top. This morning, we saw proof of the strength of President Biden's economy, with GDP figures showing our economy grew 5.7 percent last year. That's the fastest year of economic growth in nearly...

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

Readout of President Biden's Call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. President Biden reaffirmed the readiness of the United States along with its allies and partners to respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine. He also underscored the commitment of the United States to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. President Biden noted the United...

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

Readout of President Biden's Meeting with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store of Norway

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today in Washington with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store of Norway to reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Norway relationship. The two discussed joint efforts, including through NATO and the OSCE, to address Russia's destabilizing military buildup along Ukraine's borders. They also discussed enhancing the U.S.-Norway partnership in tackling a...

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

Readout of Vice President Harris's Meeting with President Castro of Honduras

Vice President Kamala Harris met today with Honduran President Xiomara Castro, which was President Castro's first meeting with a foreign leader following her inauguration. They discussed deepening our cooperation across a broad range of issues, including addressing the root causes of migration, combatting corruption, and expanding economic opportunity. Vice President Harris welcomed the opportunity to engage...

Updated: Thu Jan 27 2022

Iran - Q&A - (25.01.22)

Q : Will potential progress on the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program allow for simultaneous progress on the issue of the French detainees, specifically Fariba Adelkhah and Benjamin Brière? A : I would refer you to the answer I gave on this topic in yesterday's press briefing.

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

Joint communiqué to the statement of the Malian authorities concerning the Danish contribution to the Task Force Takuba (26.

We, the international partners committed to supporting Mali and its people in their efforts to achieve sustainable peace and stability and combat terrorism, deeply regret the statement by the Malian transitional authorities, dated January 24, alleging that the deployment of the Danish contingent in the Task Force Takuba has been made without a proper legal basis and consent from the Malian government, and therefore demanding its withdrawal from the Malian soil. Denmark's contribution to the (...)

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

Mali - Q&A - (25.01.22)

Q : The Malian authorities have asked Danish forces to leave the country. Are you afraid this will compromise your strategy for the Takuba Task Force and, more broadly, the Sahel? A : We were concerned to learn of the Malians' unfounded allegations because the deployment was conducted with the utmost transparency and with Mali's explicit agreement. The European partners in the Takuba Task Force are currently discussing the (...)

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

Burkina Faso - Q&A - (25.01.22)

Q : Do you consider the events in Burkina Faso to be a coup d'état? A : I would invite you to consult the statements made by the Foreign Minister in Brussels yesterday following the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting and those issued by President Macron this morning.

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

European Union - Clément Beaune participates in the General Affairs Council meeting (Brussels 25 Jan. 22)

Clément Beaune, Minister of State for European Affairs, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, is participating in today's General Affairs Council meeting, the first to take place under the French presidency of the Council of the European Union. The minister will outline the priorities for the French presidency before the current Council, in particular the issue of the rule of law. At this meeting, a debate will take place on two draft pieces of regulation that aim to (...)

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

Executive Order on 2022 Amendments to the Manual for Courts-Martial, United States

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. 801-946a), and in order to prescribe amendments to the Manual for Courts-Martial, United States, prescribed by Executive Order 12473 of...

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

FACT SHEET: Executive Order, 2022 Amendments to the Manual for Courts-Martial

Today, President Biden signed an Executive Order to amend the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is key to advancing the historic, bipartisan military justice reform he signed into law last month through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This Executive Order strengthens the military justice system's response to gender-based violence, and delivers on key...

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

Iran - Situation of Benjamin Brière (25.01.22)

We were extremely concerned to learn that Benjamin Brière was sentenced today to eight years in prison for "spying" and eight months for "propaganda" against the regime. This completely groundless sentence is unacceptable. Mr. Brière was arrested while traveling in Iran as a tourist. Our Embassy maintains regular contact with him in keeping with the right to consular protection set forth in the Vienna Convention of April 24, 1963; his last consular visit was on January 17. Mr. Brière appeared (...)

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

Joint Statement on the Virtual Meeting of the U.S.-Israel Strategic Consultative Group

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Israeli National Security Advisor Dr. Eyal Hulata convened a virtual meeting on January 26 of the U.S.-Israel Strategic Consultative Group (SCG). They were joined by senior representatives from their respective foreign policy, defense, and intelligence agencies. The two sides discussed upcoming military training exercises, and welcomed American observation...

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

Lebanon - Q&A - (25.01.22)

Q : A Lebanese politician and friend of France, Saad Hariri, the leader of the Future Movement party, announced his withdrawal from public life. In announcing his departure, the former Prime Minister leaves in his wake a disheartened country in a state of financial collapse. As a friend of Lebanon, France helped Mr. Hariri when he was held against his will in the Saudi capital. What is your reaction this time? A : Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, with whom we have maintained (...)

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

NATO - Jean-Yves Le Drian's conversation with the NATO Secretary General (Jan. 25)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss escalating tensions with Russia during his trip to Brussels for the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. The minister discussed the exchanges that had taken place among EU foreign affairs ministers as well as the determination that we share with our NATO allies to ensure that any new incursion on Ukraine's territorial integrity be met with severe consequences and come at a (...)

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022

Night of Ideas 2022: a worldwide festival of thought

The Night of Ideas, held on the last Thursday of January each year, was initiated in 2016 by leading French and international thinkers. Adapted to Covid-19 health restrictions, the 7th edition of this emblematic event starts on 27 January, and continues through the first semester in 2022. The theme is "(Re)building together". This edition celebrates free circulation of ideas and knowledge with a special focus on Europe. In the evening, conferences, meetings, forums and screenings have been (...)

Updated: Wed Jan 26 2022