It was the most public signal that the Entente Cordiale is back.

A brotherly hug, a 13-second handshake and warm pats on the back between Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron.

Together, they strode into a Lancaster House summit about securing the future of Ukraine, advocating for a “coalition of the willing” of countries who would join them.

In the era of uncertainty – Trump 2.0, Putin 5.0, Gaza, China, the cost of living, and more – Britain and France are the closest they have been in more than a decade.