After admiring the legendary French Bayeux Tapestry, on loan for an exhibition in London, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron will hold their first talks on Thursday, with migrant boats and Ukraine high on the agenda. The leaders met for the first time on Wednesday night at a preview of the tapestry exhibition at the British Museum, alongside King Charles III, an event both sides hailed as a symbol of positive ties. Read moreMacron urges France and UK to forge closer ties as Bayeux Tapestry goes on display in Britain The French leader said he hoped future generations would remember “the story of two countries that, after centuries of shared history, decided to forge a bond as close as the threads of this ancient embroidery.” Macron played a key role for almost a decade in pushing for the loan of the tapestry, which is seen as another step towards healing the rancor of the Brexit years. The 11th-century work, depicting the Norman conquest of England by William the Conqueror, arrived in London in July for the sold-out exhibition. Burnham in her speech hailed this moment as a time to build a “new future…full of optimism and hope.” Macron would become the first European Union leader welcomed to Downing Street by Burnham, although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited him in July. For Macron, the visit is significant as he approaches the final months of his presidential term, which will end in May 2027. The French president will open the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition as he begins his visit to the UK. To display this YouTube content, you must enable ad tracking and audience measurement. OK Manage my options One of your browser extensions appears to be blocking the video player from loading. To view this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again Cover image: France24 AFP – LOIC VENANCE ‘We cannot be complacent’ Thursday’s talks will cover joint efforts to stop small boats crossing the English Channel, Burnham told French journalists on Wednesday, saying: “We have been working together with the French government on migration, there is more we can achieve together.” Downing Street said leaders would focus on addressing the “emerging use of mega boats”, or larger, more powerful vessels. In the coming weeks, a “reinforcement team” of 45 French officers will be deployed to the beaches to deal with those launches, Downing Street said. The UK recorded the lowest number of small boats carrying migrants crossing the Channel this summer since 2019, the government said on Monday, touting the success of its law enforcement agreement with France. But Burnham said in a Downing Street statement before the meeting that “we cannot be complacent. Smuggling gangs are constantly adapting their tactics, and the UK and France need to respond quickly.” He has maintained London’s support for Ukraine in its war with Russia and made his first trip abroad, to kyiv. “That mattered, just as our joint action within the Coalition of the Willing for Ukraine matters,” Macron said in his speech at the British Museum, addressed to Burnham. He highlighted Britain’s delivery to Ukraine of information on the components of the SCALP long-range missile, the French-produced version of the UK’s Storm Shadow. Macron and Starmer enjoyed good ties and took leading roles in the coalition of nations supporting Ukraine. “We may have had a change of prime minister in Britain, but we have not had a change of direction” in Ukraine, Burnham told French reporters on Wednesday. Downing Street said discussions would also likely focus on ensuring stability in the Middle East and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Macron in Britain amid fight to boost Europe’s defense. To display this YouTube content, you must enable ad tracking and audience measurement. OK Manage my options One of your browser extensions appears to be blocking the video player from loading. To view this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again Cover image: © France 24 Mutual respect Macron remains eager to push forward his vision of a European sovereignty not dependent on the United States, in which Britain is seen as having a crucial role to play even after its divorce from the EU. Paris and London “do not always agree” but “we respect each other, we remain open to discussing everything, including moving forward with the United Kingdom’s reset with the European Union,” the French leader said Wednesday. Burnham is eager to build on the efforts of his predecessor, Keir Starmer, to forge closer post-Brexit cooperation with the European Union, while aiming to boost the UK’s sluggish growth. “I think it’s important to build on what was accomplished by my predecessor, who took steps to bring us closer again,” he told reporters Wednesday. “I think 10 years after Brexit, people here are fed up with the (lack of) vision, people see that we need to work together more,” Burnham told reporters. Anand Menon, a professor of politics at Kings College London, warned of the danger of the talks presenting “style without substance.” “They can have all the bromance they want, but we need progress in the negotiations with the EU and I suspect we won’t get any movement on that,” he told AFP. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)