Elysee sources affirm that the leaders have held a “very constructive” meeting and that they have decided to launch working groups on energy, defense and innovation
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, tried this Wednesday in Paris to restart the Franco-German engine of the European Union, seized by the underlying differences between the two neighboring countries in terms of defense and energy policy. . The Franco-German tandem, considered the engine of the European Union, is going through a bad time, ten months after Scholz’s arrival at the Foreign Ministry and in the midst of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis in Europe.
Paris and Berlin postponed the Franco-German Council of Ministers, which was scheduled to be held today at the Château de Fontainebleau, southeast of Paris. Officially, the Elysee and the Foreign Ministry alleged problems with the ministers’ agenda and that they need more time to agree on the defense and energy dossiers.
no declarations
Macron finally received Scholz in Paris today for a working lunch. In front of the cameras, they were all smiles and handshakes, although there is little chemistry between the two leaders. They did not make statements to the press, as is usual in these bilateral meetings. Elysee sources limited themselves to pointing out that Macron and Scholz had a “very constructive” meeting and that they decided to launch working groups on energy, defense and innovation.
Scholz described the conversation with Macron on Twitter as “good and important” and explained that they talked about “European energy supply, rising prices and common weapons projects.” “France and Germany remain very close and overcome challenges together,” tweeted the chancellor, trying to play down the fact that the Franco-German engine is still damaged.
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