Macron,
Merz tout renewed Franco-German engine to lead Europe
The two
leaders say they will not let national interests divide them.
May 7, 2025
4:13 pm CET
By Clea
Caulcutt and Nette Nöstlinger
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron and newly
minted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz presented a shared vision for a
well-armed and business-friendly Europe during their first formal meeting as
peers on Wednesday.
Fewer than
24 hours after formally becoming Germany's new leader, Merz traveled to Paris
to meet with Macron at the Elysée Palace on how the so-called Franco-German
engine can help the European Union confront the myriad issues facing the bloc,
including American retrenchment and the need for increased defense spending;
supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia; and boosting European
competitiveness.
"We
want to answer together the challenges that Europe faces," Macron said.
After years
of simmering disputes under former Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Macron and Merz were
keen to present a refreshed, engaged and well-choreographed partnership
spearheaded by two like-minded leaders eager to get down to business.
Macron
hailed "a new page in the Franco-German friendship" while Merz said
he already shared "a deep personal bond" with the French president.
The two
leaders appeared relatively aligned on how to support Ukraine. Merz said he
wanted Germany to offer Kyiv security guarantees if talks between Russia and
Washington led to a ceasefire, something that both France and the U.K. have
been actively pushing for, and would visit Kyiv in the coming weeks.
"President
Trump also has our full support when it comes to bringing the killing to an end
and ending the war," Merz said. "Once a ceasefire is agreed, we are
ready to participate in its monitoring under U.S. leadership."
Macron has
in the past said that Europeans need to work on security guarantees for
Ukraine, including the possible deployment of troops in Ukraine after a
ceasefire, irrespective of decisions made in Washington — a possible sign that
Berlin might not be totally aligned with Paris on the role Europeans should
play in Ukraine.
The two also
appeared in lockstep in terms of backing the European Commission's rearmament
plan and efforts to make European businesses more competitive, many of which
were inspired by the Mario Draghi report.
But
enthusiasm over an assertive Germany is being tempered by some early signs that
Merz is already a fragile chancellor, including an embarrassing initial failure
to become chancellor on Tuesday in the Bundestag. Macron himself faces a
gridlocked parliament at home, and limited room for maneuver due to lasting
budget woes.
And
differences of opinions have emerged between the two leaders over EU trade
policy as well.
The German
chancellor, who wants to jump-start his country's sputtering, export-oriented
economy by striking more free-trade deals, is pressing for the swift adoption
of such a pact between the EU and the Mercosur group of South American nations.
He said on Wednesday that the accord should be "adopted and put into force
as quickly as possible."
While Macron
agreed that the EU needs to search out new export markets amid the upheaval
caused by Trump's tariffs, he cautioned that trade agreements should be in the
EU's interest and that goods entering the bloc must meet its stringent
environmental and health standards.
France has
long feared the Mercosur deal would lead to a glut of cheap agricultural
imports from South American countries who hold their products to lower
standards — thereby putting French farmers out of business.
"We are
in favor of trade deals if they protect our European producers and ensure an
equality of treatment," he said.
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