France Hopes for New Start With UK if Truss Becomes Prime Minister

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - France hopes for a new start in relations with the United Kingdom if Foreign Secretary Liz Truss becomes the new Prime Minister, France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Monday.

"The United Kingdom is a friend of France. If Truss is elected as a new leader, we will hope for a new start to UK-France relations. They deserve it, because due to the UK's position on European matters we are yet to fully live up to the role that both our countries should play," the French minister told RTL radio.

Previously, commenting on the relations between France and Britain, Truss argued that she cannot say for sure whether French President Emmanuel Macron is a friend or foe of London. At the same time, her opponent in the Tory leadership race Rishi Sunak described Macron as a friend of the UK.

Along with UK's former finance minister Sunak, Truss is one of the two final candidates in the premiership election race, which came after outgoing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation on July 7.

Truss has polled well among Tory members and is expected to beat Sunak to the UK's top job. The voting ended on Friday, September 2, and the final winner will be announced later on Monday.