PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary call with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 March 2023.

A joint statement following the Foreign Secretary’s call with Catherine Colonna, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Catherine Colonna, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and James Cleverly, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, spoke by telephone on 6 March 2023.

The exchange helped prepare for the 36th Franco-British Summit to be held on 10 March in Paris and will deepen the long-standing bilateral relationship between the two countries by deepening cooperation in a number of areas, including foreign affairs, security and defence, the economy, youth, energy and migration.

In this context, the ministers discussed the major international issues of the day, including joint support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and the defence of the rules-based international order.