French President Emmanuel Macron begins a two-day visit to Britain on Wednesday. On the first day, he will attend the formal opening of a special exhibition of the historic Bayeux Tapestry. On Thursday, Macron is scheduled to hold bilateral talks at Downing Street with Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, becoming the first European Union leader to meet Burnham there.

Macron played an important role in recent years in efforts to lend the nearly 950-year-old tapestry from France for display at the British Museum. The work will remain on show at the museum until July next year. The visit also carries symbolic importance as Burnham seeks to build closer relations between Britain and the European Union after Brexit.

Burnham is hoping for practical outcomes from the meeting, including French cooperation to curb migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats and support efforts to improve slow British economic growth. King’s College London professor Anand Menon cautioned that the visit could be more ceremonial than substantive, citing continuing economic differences. A French presidential official said coordination with Burnham on Ukraine and the Middle East was expected to be equally important and regular.