Just days after Chancellor Angela Merkel supported French President Emmanuel Macron’s idea to build an EU army to boost the continent’s defence, the two are expected to present Franco-German proposals for a new eurozone budget on Monday.
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French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and his German counterpart Olaf Scholz, will "jointly present a proposition… about the layout for a budget for the eurozone," a ministry source told AFP.
"It's a major step forward. We will look forward to sharing with other members," the source continued.
Earlier this week, Merkel backed Macron’s idea to create a European army, stressing that it could be a “good supplement to NATO”.
Addressing the plan, which drew the ire of US President Donald Trump, the chancellor suggested that “Europe must take its fate in its own hands,” and that “only a united Europe can be strong enough to be heard on the world stage.
The Brexit Effect
The scheduled meeting follows the adoption of a draft Brexit agreement earlier this week, and as Macron and Merkel are willing to promote European unity, the EU itself is reluctant to consider any renegotiation of the UK’s divorce agreement, The Telegraphreported.
READ MORE: Brexit: We Are Leaving the EU in March — PM Theresa May
According to the newspaper, the remaining 27 member-states will insist on an emergency summit to back the Brexit deal set for 25 November “even if Theresa May is toppled as Prime Minister.”
“Mrs May will be invited. But even if something explosive happens and she can’t come, the November summit will go ahead regardless,” The Telegraph cited an unnamed diplomatic source as saying.
Earlier this week, May announced that the Cabinet had approved a draft Brexit agreement with the EU after five hours of negotiations.
The draft deal has prompted a row within the Conservative Party and beyond, triggering a wave of resignations of the Cabinet Ministers, including Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.