France preparing to answer Putin, President reaches Germany after 24 years
Macron's visit with his wife Brigitte arrived in Germany on Sunday afternoon. There he will hold talks with his counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. On Monday he will travel to Dresden, the former East Germany, to deliver a speech on Europe at a European festival.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived on a visit to Germany.
Image Credit source: AFP
The French Head of State has arrived on a state visit to Germany after 24 years. French President Emmanuel Macron often visits Berlin, but this visit as head of state is his first state visit in 24 years, since Jacques Chirac's visit in 2000. The three-day visit aims to underline the strong ties between the EU's traditional leading powers. During the visit, issues ranging from German-French relations that govern EU policy-making to the war in Ukraine to the possible election of Donald Trump as US President in November are expected to be discussed.
Macron's visit with his wife Brigitte arrived in Germany on Sunday afternoon. There he will hold talks with his counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. On Monday he will travel to Dresden, the former East Germany, to deliver a speech on Europe at a European festival.
Macron's visit to Germany after Jacques Chirac
On Tuesday, Macron will travel to the western German city of Münster and later to Meseberg outside Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and a Franco-German joint cabinet meeting. Macron is on a frequent visit to Germany as Paris and Berlin try to coordinate their positions on EU and foreign policy. This is the first state visit with full pomp since Jacques Chirac's arrival in 2000. This visit is taking place at a time when Germany is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its constitution after World War II.
There will be a meeting with the German Chancellor
Steinmeier is hosting a state banquet for Macron at his Bellevue palace in Berlin on Sunday evening. That comes before the two presidents travel to the eastern city of Dresden on Monday, where Macron will deliver a speech, and to Münster in western Germany on Tuesday. The state visit will be followed by a meeting between Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and ministers from the two countries at a government guest house outside Berlin on Tuesday.
Ukraine war will also be discussed
Germany and France, which have the EU's largest economies, have long been seen as the motors of European integration, although there have often been differences of policy and emphasis between the two neighbors on many issues. This became clear in different situations earlier this year regarding whether Western countries should refuse to send ground troops to Ukraine. Both countries are strong supporters of Kyiv.