Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff Head to Paris for First European Trip

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Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff are bound for Paris.

Scheduled to leave late Monday for five days in her first European trip as vice president, Harris will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, honor American troops on the eve of Veterans Day and represent national interests on a number of issues outlined by senior administration officials during a recent call with reporters.

The trip comes soon after President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden met with Macron and his wife, Brigitte in Italy last week. French-U.S. relations hit a rough patch in September over a nuclear submarine deal with Australia that had the French foreign minister claiming his country had been stabbed in the back.

Harris and Macron will have a "wide-ranging discussion" at the Élysée Palace on Wednesday, the U.S. officials said. "But the key message for this meeting is the importance of this relationship and the fact that U.S.-French partnership matters to the world. It also matters to the American people, because what we do together is really critical for both of our nation as well as the entire international community."

In her own statement before departing, Harris said, in part: "The alliance between the United States and France is America's oldest, and among our strongest. I look forward to discussing with President Macron our work together on the most urgent challenges of our time—including the climate crisis, the global health crisis, and regional security concerns. We will also discuss new opportunities for collaboration in the area of space."

The vice president cited the recent passage of a bipartisan infrastructure deal that has been a Biden White House priority. "I look forward to building on our progress here at home by working with our allies and partners to advance this Administration's agenda—and our country's interests—around the world," she said.

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Adam Schultz/Biden for President From left: Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff

On one of Harris' first stops after Tuesday's arrival in the City of Lights, she will tour the Institut Pasteur to meet with American and French scientists working on COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness globally, according to administration officials. "The Institut visit is also personally important for the vice president. Her mother, who was a scientist, conducted breast cancer research with scientists at the Institut Pasteur in the 1980s," the officials said.

Emhoff will be by the vice president's side for parts of the trip but their schedules don't fully match up. The second gentleman will attend some events on his own to discuss and learn about topics like gender equality, inspiring young women and girls, sports diplomacy and education, according to the officials.

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Harris and Emhoff will be together to visit the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, where the remains of U.S. soldiers from both World Wars were laid to rest, on the eve of Veterans Day "to honor the bravery and the sacrifices of those who fought and died for our country," the officials said.

NOAH BERGER/AFP via Getty From left: Douglas Emhoff waves to a crowd of supporters alongside Sen. Kamala Harris in January 2019

Harris will also participate in a ceremony on Armistice Day, a national holiday in France that marks the anniversary of the Armistice during World War I.

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"When you look at the message of Armistice Day and the message of the American Cemetery, it is about the years that France and the United States have stood together, our shared values, and our commitment to continue doing the right things together around the world," officials said.

The vice president will attend the Paris Conference on Libya to express American support for the country's people as "they work to reestablish their sovereignty and establish lasting peace," the officials said.

Before departing on Saturday, the vice president and second gentleman will make a stop at the American Embassy in Paris to greet diplomats and thank them for their service.