Sir Keir Starmer has become the first serving prime minister of the United Kingdom to receive France’s highest award, the Legion d’honneur. Get today's headlines by email He was presented with the decoration at the end of a meeting associated with the “Coalition of the Willing”, a group of countries set up with French President Emmanuel Macron to support Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Starmer and Macron helped establish the coalition, according to the account of the event. Macron praises Starmer’s roleAt the ceremony in the French presidential palace, Macron said he wanted to express gratitude for Starmer’s “years as prime minister”. He praised Starmer’s “human qualities” and described him as a “reliable and friendly partner”. Macron also referenced commitments from the UK that, he said, supported not only the country but “the security of Europe” and Ukraine, alongside the bilateral relationship between France and the UK. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was among those attending to recognise Starmer ahead of his departure, also paid tribute to the outgoing prime minister. Starmer is due to leave office next week. Zelensky and Merz thank the outgoing leaderDuring the event, Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz both publicly thanked Starmer. Zelensky’s comments were part of the acknowledgements made at the conclusion of the meeting in Paris. Merz thanked Starmer in person at the French presidential palace, as did Zelensky, who was listed among those paying tribute. What the Legion d’Honneur isThe Legion d’honneur is awarded each year to around 2,000 French people and 200 foreign nationals. Recipients are recognised for “outstanding merits”. Among past honours in the order is Sir Winston Churchill, who received the highest rank of the decoration, known as Grand Croix (Grand Cross). That level is awarded for continued “outstanding merit” over an extended period. A controversial decoration with notable recipientsThe Legion d’honneur has faced criticism since it was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. Past recipients include leaders such as Nelson Mandela and former US President Dwight Eisenhower, as well as Zelensky. It has also been granted to figures including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, and earlier to Benito Mussolini of wartime Italy and Spain’s dictator Francisco Franco. So far, only one foreign recipient has had the honour withdrawn: former Panamanian President Manuel Noriega. Under Macron, French officials also removed the award from Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein following a series of accusations of sexual harassment and rape, according to the report of the decision. Join the discussion? 15 July 2026
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