Milei and Macron sign a strategic alliance on critical minerals and nuclear energy

President Javier Milei participated this Monday in the Third United Nations Conference on the Oceans, held in Nice, France, where he held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Emmanuel Macron. In this context, both leaders agreed to sign a key strategic alliance focused on critical minerals and cooperation in nuclear energy, a political signal of rapprochement between the two nations.

Despite their differences on climate change and the role of multilateralism,  Milei and Macron maintained a cordial dialogue at the forum promoted by the French president. The Argentine president did not intervene in the deliberations, but he was present during the opening of the event and shared several moments with the host, including public greetings and private conversations in adjacent rooms.

A bilateral relationship at its highest point

The meeting will conclude with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals, a step aimed at strengthening French investment in strategic sectors such as lithium and nuclear energy. According to official sources, "the relationship between the two countries is at one of its best moments", to which Macron's sustained interest in the opportunities offered by Argentina in natural resources and energy development projects has contributed.

Milei's brief but significant visit to Nice is in response to a direct invitation from Macron himself, who requested that the Argentine president be present at the event as a gesture of diplomatic goodwill. Meanwhile, France continues to show signs of prioritizing Argentina, as was already the case during the French president's visit to Buenos Aires last November.

Mining cooperation and support for investment

The presence of the heads of state at the signing of the agreement is, according to diplomatic analysts, the real news: it marks political support for future financial disbursements of French origin. State and private banks could now find a framework of predictability and confidence to invest in the exploration and exploitation of strategic minerals, especially lithium.

In addition to the memorandum,  the signing of a cooperation agreement for mining research was under consideration, which would include joint work in the detection of new mineral reserves. France's participation in the Argentine nuclear program was also part of the agenda that Milei and Macron addressed in a private meeting at a hotel on the French Riviera.

The Argentine delegation included Karina Milei, Secretary General of the Presidency; Gerardo Werthein, Foreign Minister; Ian Sielecki, Argentine ambassador to France; and National Deputy Fernando Iglesias, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Lower House.

Members of the national delegation highlighted that  "the Argentine embassy in France today has more access to the Élysée than ever before", which translates into an unprecedented level of diplomatic influence. The signed alliance not only implies economic opportunities, but also strengthens Milei's international profile in Europe.