Photo: Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz
Mathew Amaechi
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to host French President Emmanuel Macron next week for critical talks on Ukraine, as the European Union scrambles to present a united front amidst a US policy shift under President Donald Trump.
The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, will precede an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit emphasized that the discussion will focus on European political topics, with a special emphasis on the distressing international issues, particularly the developments in Ukraine.
As the Europeans strive to find common ground, the situation in Ukraine remains precarious. Kyiv has agreed to a US-proposed ceasefire plan, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed “serious questions” about the proposal. Despite this, Putin has shown willingness to discuss the plan with Trump.
The talks between Scholz and Macron come at a pivotal moment, as EU leaders have rallied around Ukraine in response to Trump’s pressure on Kyiv to swiftly end the war. With Scholz set to relinquish power soon, his likely successor, Friedrich Merz, has vowed to significantly increase defense spending in the face of Russian hostility and concerns about the US commitment to Europe.
