Following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) met with French President Emmanuel Macron at a midday gathering in the Élysée Palace in Paris to discuss a joint strategy.
The French President and the German Chancellor aimed to demonstrate unity at the meeting in Paris, as Europe struggles to respond with a single voice to the tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump. Trump, who has threatened Canada, Mexico, and China with high tariffs, stated on Tuesday that Europe has alarming trade surpluses with the United States and is “prepared for tariffs.”
Before their working lunch in the Élysée Palace, both Macron and Scholz emphasized to journalists that Europe is strong and the Franco-German tandem is solid. “President Trump, that’s now clear, will be a challenge” Scholz said.
The two heads of state described the steel, automotive, and chemical industries – potential targets of US tariffs – as crucial sectors for the European economy.
Some business leaders and analysts believe that Trump’s first term in office serves as a proof that he frequently publicly threatens tariffs and other measures as a means of exerting pressure, only to not implement them in the end.
Others, however, fear that he might be encouraged to follow through on his threats due to a strong mandate from the public and increased support in both houses of Congress.
Scholz did not comment on Macron’s plans to respond to Trump’s proposals and the possibility of sending European soldiers to Ukraine for peacekeeping in the event of a ceasefire.
Macron had previously discussed the details of a potential troop deployment with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. However, the German government holds public debates about the possibility of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine to be premature.
On the sidelines of the visit, Scholz commented on the debate in Berlin over the additional three billion euros in military aid for Ukraine, which the Greens are demanding. The Chancellor will only allow for this if new debts are incurred. “Simply claiming that it would somehow work despite the financial gaps has the level of a slogan” he said.