French President Emmanuel Macron said the meet with his United States counterpart Joe Biden on Friday was “important” and it was essential to “look to the future” as his country and the United States work to mend fences.

The two world leaders met on Friday ahead of the Group of 20 (G20) Summit that is scheduled to begin on Saturday.  

Biden and Macron appeared to share a warm body language, with clasped hands and arms on each others’ backs when they greeted one another. They shook hands a few times while journalists watched the beginning of their meeting.

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“What really matters now is what we will do together in the coming weeks, the coming months, the coming years,” Macron said.

Following the meeting, Macron told reporters, according to Reuters reports, that the meeting with Biden had been helpful, with a “strong” US commitment about European defence.

However, quickly he followed it up by saying, “Trust is like love: Declarations are good, but proof is better.”

During the interaction, the United States president called the submarine deal “clumsy” in its execution adding that it “was not done with a lot of grace.” 

Also Read | US, France edge closer to reconciliation after AUKUS disagreement

The United States-Australia security alliance, often referred to as AUKUS, also includes the United Kingdom. The alliance effectively cancelled a 2016 submarine deal between Australia and France. The US’ decision to undercut the deal was met with severe criticism from several European leaders, especially Macron, who had criticised the alliance in the strongest terms.

Since then, the United States has made several attempts to smooth things over with its oldest ally. 

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Biden and Macron also discussed the rise of China and the questions that pose for democracies and market economies, the official said. They also discussed Iran, supply chains, steel and aluminium tariffs and trade.

The two nations issued a lengthy joint statement after the meeting painting themselves as global democratic partners in the fight against a range of challenges, including the coronavirus pandemic, the climate crisis and ensuring the “indivisible security” of the NATO alliance.