French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz began talks in Paris on October 26 afternoon to overcome the recently intensified Franco-German differences, Report informs via TASS.
Initially, a meeting of the Franco-German Council of Ministers was scheduled for this day in the commune of Fontainebleau. However, due to disagreements between the parties on a number of issues, it was postponed until January next year. At Macron’s suggestion, the leaders decided to meet one-on-one instead to try to bring positions closer.
According to French analysts, relations between Paris and Berlin have become tense in recent months amid disagreements on defense policy, the settlement of the energy crisis in the EU against the backdrop of the Ukrainian conflict. Paris is also unhappy with Berlin’s refusal to agree on a gas price ceiling and its intention to provide massive support for German enterprises in the amount of 200 billion euros, which, according to France, puts other European companies in an unequal position amid energy difficulties.
The Macron administration limited itself to diplomatic language that after the recent exchange of views in Berlin and Brussels, the leaders of the two countries will continue to discuss defense, economic and energy issues in order to strengthen Franco-German cooperation.