This trip has become the first official visit by a French president to Germany since 2000, with Reuters reporting that the visit is apparently meant as a show of unity between Berlin and Paris amid unresolved tensions.
Managing Director for Europe at the Eurasia Group think tank Mujtaba Rahman told the media outlet that Macron’s visit is "an attempt at the highest political level to demonstrate that the relationship is working."
Meanwhile, Berlin and Paris keep disagreeing on many issues - such as the defense and security situation in Europe.
Whereas Germany is keen to rely on the US military protection, France favors self-reliance, with Macron consistently advocating for Europe’s greater autonomy in defense matters.
Paris’ recent belligerence – extremely obvious in comparison to Berlin’s slow pace – may be well explained by the fact that France has its own, albeit small, nuclear arsenal while Germany has no nukes of its own.
During a cabinet meeting slated to take place on Tuesday, May 28, top French and German officials are expected to discuss important matters related to the bilateral relations between the two countries.
The French president’s visit takes place mere days before the elections for the EU Parliament, scheduled on June 6 through 9, with a report suggesting that France and Germany are now seeking to “find common ground on the EU agenda for the next five years.”
A year earlier, Macron had to scrap plans for his visit to Berlin – originally expected to take place in July 2023 – amid protests that broke out in France over the death of a 17-year-old teenager who was killed by police.