French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and their cabinet meet today in Paris for a joint meeting that will be dominated by economic, energy, defense and European politics.

The meeting is held in connection with the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Élysée Treaty between France and Germany, which cemented friendship between the two countries 18 years after the end of World War II.

After the ceremony at the Sorbonne at 11:00 (12:00 Greek local time), Macron and Soltz will meet with their ministers at the Elysee Palace.

In October, this annual meeting between the cabinets of France and Germany was postponed due to differences between the two countries on a number of important issues that raised concerns about problems on the Franco-German axis.

Since then, both sides have emphasized their common views and close cooperation.

Today’s 23rd joint cabinet is being held for the first time since 2019, after restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19 were lifted.

As the war returned to the European continent, Macron and Soltz expressed their desire for “Europe to become even more dominant” by investing more in defense and adopting a “strategy to increase the competitiveness of European industry.”

In addition, the two leaders will try to negotiate European reforms to limit rising energy prices.

On the defense side, despite recent progress in the development of the European Future Air Combat System (SCAF) fighter, controversy over air defense remains. Berlin is promoting a protective shield that will include the Israeli system, which 14 European countries agree on. However, Paris is working on its own system together with Italy in the name of Europe’s “strategic independence”.

Macron and Scholz may also discuss sending heavy tanks to Kyiv, which raised German fears.

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