Global Courant 2023-05-22 13:14:29
Access to rare earths and Russia’s war against Ukraine topped the agenda of French President Emmanuel Macron’s historic visit to Mongolia
French President Emmanuel Macron, right, speaks with US President Joe Biden after a family photo session of G7 leaders and invited countries during the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima, western Japan, Saturday, May 20, 2023. (Brendan Smialowski/Pool Photo via AP )
The associated press
BEIJING — Access to rare earths and Russia’s war against Ukraine were at the top of the agenda of French President Emmanuel Macron’s historic visit to Mongolia.
Macron met with his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khursukh in the capital Ulaanbaatar on Sunday and pledged cooperation in the extraction and trade of minerals used in satellites, mobile phones and other key technologies.
It was the first visit by a French head of state to Mongolia, a landlocked democracy of 3 million people, twice the size of Texas, sandwiched between Russia and China.
Mongolia’s grasslands, mountains, and deserts hold vast reserves of coal, copper, and lesser-known minerals essential to the modern economy.
Macron’s trip followed his participation in the Group of Seven summit in Japan, where the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a major topic.
The conflict has a global impact, Macron said, citing high food prices and more refugees. More than 8 million Ukrainians have been displaced from their homes, according to the United Nations.
“A return to peace on the European continent in accordance with international law,” Macron said. “I was able to share with the president our will to support a state under attack.”
(TagsToTranslate)Russia Ukraine War
