Scholz and Macron to meet secretly ahead of Xi Jinping's visit to France
President of France Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz (Getty Images)
Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and President of France Emmanuel Macron will hold a secret dinner in Paris. The meeting will take place a few days before Chinese President Xi Jinping comes to France, reports Politico.
According to the media, Scholz and Macron will be with their wives at the meeting, which will take place at one of the French restaurants.
The key topic will be allegedly Xi Jinping's visit, who is set to arrive in France on Sunday, May 5, and stay for three days. The German Chancellor will likely tell the French President about his last month trip to China.
Noah Barkin, a staff member of the German Marshall Fund, said "Macron will try to convince the chancellor to join him for his meeting with Xi next week, alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen."
Politico says that during the dinner, Macron and Scholz may discuss funding for the EU defense sector. The President of France advocates for defense bonds, involving "the joint European issuing of debt to bankroll military investments." Scholz has not yet supported the initiative.
Disagreement between Macron and Scholz
A few months ago, rumors appeared about clashes between French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Tension arose after the French leader suggested sending ground troops to Ukraine, a proposal criticized by the Chancellor.
As political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told RBC-Ukraine, information about the argument is untrue.
You can find more detailed information in the article on RBC-Ukraine.
