Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot met in Paris today with his American counterpart, Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Two weeks before Antony Blinken leaves the State Department, the Minister wanted to offer him his heartfelt gratitude for his ongoing commitment to our countries' shared values over the course of a four-year term punctuated by numerous crises. He also commended the Secretary of State on his personal efforts to strengthen French-American relations, as well as his sincere friendship with France.
As a new U.S. administration prepares to take office, the Minister and Secretary of State reaffirmed the strength and depth of the transatlantic partnership.
This conversation gave them the opportunity to review the main international crises and the implementation of the ceasefire monitoring mechanism in Lebanon, the French-American diplomatic partnership's latest accomplishment. Jean-Noël Barrot and Antony Blinken underscored their shared determination to continue their unwavering support of Ukraine in its legitimate defense against Russian aggression. Regarding the Middle East, the Minister discussed the messages that were shared during his meeting with the new Syrian authorities in Syria.