Starmer inspects his medal with Macron. Photograph: Simon Dawson\/No 10 Downing Street<\/p>\n
Awarding the honour to Starmer underlines the significant shift from Macron\u2019s more testy relationships with some previous prime ministers, the French leader having frequently clashed with the Conservatives Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss over Brexit.<\/p>\n
On one of his final engagements on the international stage, Starmer was in Paris to attend Bastille Day celebrations, meeting British troops involved in the ceremonial events before watching the parade alongside Macron and others including Ukraine\u2019s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.<\/p>\n
At Starmer\u2019s final coalition of the willing summit on Monday, Macron, Zelenskyy and Germany\u2019s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, paid tribute to his role on the world stage, with his approach to international affairs seen as one of the strengths of his time in office.<\/p>\n
Keir Starmer with Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other dignitaries during the Bastille Day parade in Paris. Photograph: Ludovic Marin\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Presenting the award, Macron said Starmer had played a \u201chistoric role\u201d in establishing the group of countries to support Ukraine.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cPrime minister, dear Keir, I wanted to reiterate my gratitude and the gratitude of the French people, obviously for your years as a prime minister. But I have to say, beyond that, for your personal leadership and your commitments for obviously your country, but the security of our Europe<\/a>, Ukraine, the bilateral relationship, your decency.<\/p>\n \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n While Churchill, the former US president Dwight D Eisenhower, the former West German chancellor Willy Brandt and Nelson Mandela have been among those receiving the higher-order Grand-Croix, more controversially the L\u00e9gion d\u2019honneur was also given \u2013 though later revoked \u2013 to the then Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, in 2001 and to Vladimir Putin in 2006, both by Jacques Chirac.<\/p>\n
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