As usual for such a gathering, the ongoing G7 summit in Cornwall mostly takes place behind closed doors, away from the cameras. So it can be tempting for commentators to extrapolate observations from the optics of leaders’ photo calls and walkabouts. Yesterday, at both the official welcome at the beach in Carbis Bay in Cornwall and a drinks reception including the British royals at the Eden Project eco-park, many were struck by the warm body language between Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden.
Photographed and filmed with their arms around each other’s backs and deep in conversation, the two presidents’ body language seemed to invite speculation that with the relationship with Britain complicated by Brexit (Biden has used the G7 to urge a resolution in the row over Northern Ireland) and with Angela Merkel soon set to leave the stage, the new buckle of the transatlantic relationship is the Washington-Paris alliance.
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