French President Emmanuel Macron hosted German opposition leader Friedrich Merz at his summer residence in Toulon during a meeting focused on strengthening Franco-German cooperation and charting a course for a more dynamic European Union.
Before a working dinner, Macron emphasized a shared ambition to accelerate European progress, specifically highlighting the need for increased competitiveness and a simplification of existing regulations. He indicated that recent discussions between French and German officials had resulted in a significant convergence of viewpoints.
Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), affirmed a commitment to addressing challenges that require collaborative solutions, foremost among them the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He noted the absence of imminent prospects for direct negotiations between Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Russian President Putin, contrasting this with the recent, previously scheduled meeting between Putin and former US President Trump, which occurred during extended parliamentary sessions.
Furthermore, Merz underscored the importance of tackling bureaucratic hurdles at the European Union level. He argued that while individual member states could undertake certain reforms, lasting progress necessitates a parallel commitment from the EU itself to meaningfully streamline its regulatory framework. He cautioned that national efforts would be hampered without corresponding action at the supranational level.
