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Sir Keir Starmer has become the first UK Prime Minister to be awarded France’s highest honour.
In the year Sir Kiir and French President Emmanuel Macron received the award at the end of a meeting between the group of countries that helped Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion.
In his tribute, Macron praised Sir Kiir’s “politeness” and expressed his appreciation for his “obvious commitment to your country, but also to European, Ukrainian security, bilateral relations”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was among those who paid tribute to the Prime Minister, who is expected to step down next week.
Presenting the award to Sir Kiir, Macron said: “I wanted to reiterate my admiration for your years as prime minister and the appreciation of the French people.”
“I must say, all the human qualities that we learn to appreciate, all remain very important to all of us. With you we have found a very reliable and friendly partner.”
In addition to Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz thanked Sir Kiir at an event held at the French presidential palace.
Each year, around 2,000 French and 200 foreign nationals are awarded the Legion of Honor, recognized for “superior merit”.
Sir Winston Churchill was among those honoured—receiving the order’s highest rank, known as the Grand Croix (Grand Cross), for those who had continued to do “splendid service” over a period of time.
However, the award has been controversial since it was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.
Like Nelson Mandela and former US President Dwight Eisenhower, and indeed Zelensky himself, President Vladimir Putin and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi – he had earlier been given to Italy’s Benito Mussolini and Spain’s dictator Francisco Franco.
So far, only one foreign leader has been stripped of the honor, former Panamanian President Manuel Noriega.
The Macron era has seen Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein stripped of his mantle after several allegations of sexual harassment and rape.
