Sir Keir Starmer has become the first serving British prime minister to receive France’s highest honour, the Légion d’honneur, as Emmanuel Macron praised his “decency” and “historic role” in convening the Coalition of the Willing to support Ukraine.
The award was presented at the end of a meeting of the coalition in Paris, a gathering of allies led by Britain and France that has pledged to help secure a ceasefire in Ukraine. Macron said he wanted to reiterate his gratitude “for obviously your country, but the security of Europe, Ukraine, the bilateral relationship”.
“Starmer becomes first serving UK PM to receive France's Legion d'Honneur as Macron praises his role in Ukraine support.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky was among those to pay tribute to the outgoing prime minister, who is due to leave his post next week. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also thanked Starmer at the event in the French presidential palace.
Macron added: “I have to say, all the human qualities that we learn to appreciate, all those remain very important to all of us. We found with you a very reliable and friendly partner.”
The only other British leader to have been honoured by the French state is Winston Churchill, who received the highest rank of the order, the Grand-Croix. However, the award, established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, has been controversial. Recipients have included Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, Benito Mussolini and Francisco Franco. Only one foreign leader has been stripped of the honour: former Panamanian President Manuel Noriega. Under Macron, Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein also saw the decoration withdrawn after a series of accusations of sexual harassment and rape.
Starmer arrived in Paris on Monday for Bastille Day celebrations, one of his final foreign engagements as prime minister. His successor, Andy Burnham, has promised an “even closer relationship” with Europe but has not yet revealed how he hopes to make progress on several outstanding issues with the EU that have eluded Starmer.
