Friday 10th December 2021
First visit to Macron
Scholz follows the Ukraine conflict with concern
Traditionally, a Federal Chancellor’s first trip abroad is to France. In Paris, Scholz meets the French President Macron. Both want to “make Europe strong” and don’t just talk about friendship.
Two days after being sworn in as Federal Chancellor, Olaf Scholz made his first inaugural visit to Paris. President Emmanuel Macron received the SPD politician in the afternoon in the Élysée Palace for a chat and lunch. Scholz then wants to introduce himself to the European Union and NATO in Brussels.
During his visit to Paris, Scholz emphasized the willingness to work together. “It’s about how we can make Europe strong, European sovereignty in all the dimensions that go with it. It’s about economic issues, security issues and foreign policy issues,” said the SPD politician. “It is important that we act in the same direction, that we work together,” said Scholz. “And that’s why it was not just a friendly visit, but one that has already addressed all the topics that will be discussed in the near future.”
One of these topics is the conflict in Ukraine. Scholz called on Russia to respect the inviolability of the borders. “We are all concerned about the situation on the Ukrainian border,” said the Chancellor. “Of course there is a common understanding that the inviolability of borders in Europe is one of the principles that everyone in Europe must accept for common security.”
“Obviously there are a lot of soldiers to be seen”
Everyone should know that this rule applies to everyone. “It’s not just about power, it’s also about principles that are binding on everyone.” Scholz welcomed the fact that US President Joe Biden spoke to his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin this week. “And we, too, will continue to develop our activities to ensure that Ukraine has good prospects,” said the Chancellor. He referred, for example, to the so-called Normandy format. Germany and France mediate between Ukraine and Russia in the conflict in the Ukrainian industrial region of Donbass, which has been going on since 2014.
The West has been accusing Russia of deploying troops not far from the border with Ukraine for weeks. Scholz also said that it was “very obvious that there are a lot of soldiers to be seen”. Macron also found the conversation between Biden and Putin useful. But the Normandy format also retains its justification.
Another topic is European financial policy. After the meeting, French President Macron spoke out in favor of new, more flexible financial rules in the EU in order to achieve three goals. On the one hand, you need massive investments in new technologies, on the other hand, the economic harmonization of the states in the EU and especially in the euro zone must be promoted, said Macron. The third goal is full employment.
Scholz referred to the Corona reconstruction fund, which Macron and he had largely brought on the way – within the framework of the applicable financial rules. “The point is that we continue to enable and maintain the growth that we have started with the reconstruction fund. And that we ensure solid finances at the same time,” said the Chancellor. The flexibility of the European Stability and Growth Pact will be used to the full. This is not a contradiction. He is sure that we will come to common concepts.
Baerbock was faster
Chancellor Scholz and his ten-person delegation started in the morning with the government Airbus “Theodor Heuss” for Paris. Scholz already knows the plane from his travels as Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister. Even before his election as chancellor, he had announced that his first trip abroad would go to Paris to see Macron. “We are meeting to develop a common strategy with France,” he said before his departure.
Macron had also conjured up German-French cooperation for Europe on Wednesday in his congratulations to Scholz on Twitter. “We will write the next chapter together. For the French, for the Germans, for the Europeans,” he wrote. France takes over the EU Council Presidency in January.
The first inaugural visit by Chancellors traditionally goes to France. Gerhard Schröder was even in Paris in 1998 before his election as head of government. In 2005, Chancellor Angela Merkel and her then Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier flew together to Paris and then to Brussels. This time, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is one step ahead of Prime Minister Scholz with her inaugural visits. She was already in Paris yesterday, Thursday.