Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron will meet for the first time in Rome on Friday following a major clash over Australia's nuclear-powered submarines last month.
According to reports, Biden and Macron will be joined by 18 others during this week's meeting. The presidents are in Rome for the climate summit.
Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron will discuss several issues
Ahead of the meeting, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser of the White House, said that Biden and Macron's meeting would be constructive and substantive.
The presidents will also tackle various issues like counterterrorism in the Middle East, trade, technology, and economic matters.
Celia Belin, a visiting fellow at the Center on the United States and Europe at The Brookings Institution, said that the upcoming bilateral meeting could pave the way for those consultations to lead to concrete announcements.
"The meeting between the two leaders will be the occasion to make some announcements and to see whether or not... this crisis was the occasion to define... a new common agenda, or if there are sort of long, lingering issues that cannot be addressed," Belin told CNN.
After Biden and Macron's meeting, a statement will be released detailing everything that they discussed.
Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron had a brief falling out
Last month, Biden and Macron were faced with tensions after it was announced that the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia partnered to assist in helping the latter develop nuclear-powered submarines.
Following the announcement, France released a statement saying that they were not informed regarding the deal beforehand. They also noted that the new partnership jeopardized an existing contract with Australia to provide the country with diesel-powered submarines.
The tensions worsened to the point that France temporarily recalled its US ambassador.
Read Also: Biden Tells Australia, UK To Mend Ties With France To Restore Normalcy After the Divisive AUKUS Deal
The presidents' phone call changed everything
Weeks later, Biden and Macron reportedly spoke on the phone and settled some important matters. The POTUS acknowledged the missteps in how his administration handled the discussions regarding the partnership.
Biden and Macron also agreed to open a process of in-depth consultations that can help with their decision-making process. Following the presidents' phone conversation, Macron decided to bring back the French ambassador to Washington next week, according to the official statement of the White House.
According to the Associated Press, Biden and Macron have some expectations ahead of Friday's meeting. Macron is reportedly expecting Biden to commit to supporting French anti-terrorist operations n the Sahel region of Africa. Throughout the past couple of months, France has been seeking greater intelligence and military cooperation from the country.
While Biden and Macron are in a meeting, their respective wives will also reunite. First Lady Jill Biden will host Brigette Macron for a bilateral engagement on Friday afternoon.
Emmanuel Macron phoned Joe Biden after he was elected
Prior to Biden and Macron's clash, the two presidents previously had an excellent relationship. Macron was one of the first people who congratulated the POTUS after being elected president in the 2020 election. A statement from the Elysee Palace revealed that Macron also congratulated Vice President Kamala Harris, according to France 24.
Related Article: French President Emmanuel Macron Claims the US Disrespected France By Going Behind The EU's Back To Secure AUKUS Deal
