France and Germany have multiplied meetings and declarations over the past week to highlight their good relationship after the friction of recent weeks, particularly on energy and defense issues. Disputes which had led to an unprecedented postponement of the joint Council of Ministers. This week, intense bilateral activities ended on Friday 25 November with the visit to Berlin of Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, alongside Olaf Scholz.
With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibault
France and Germany want to keep warm and stick together.
The joint declaration on energy solidarity between the two countries must show that Paris and Berlin, despite the tensions of recent weeks, can reach agreements.
Olaf Scholz and Elisabeth Borne are in unison. ” Friends help each other in need. We want to use our relationship for the good of our countries, but also of Europe “, explained the chancellor.
The signed agreement provides for France to help Germany with gas deliveries; the latter supports its neighbor by supplying it with electricity, a necessary measure due to the shutdown of many French nuclear reactors.
France and Germany need each other to overcome energy tensions.
This is the meaning of the solidarity agreement that we have just concluded to implement gas and electricity exchanges between our two countries and to act together within the framework of the EU. pic.twitter.com/PY8KSMMzXA— Elisabeth BORNE (@Elisabeth_Borne) November 25, 2022
But differences remain on energy issues, starting with the cap on the price of gas for purchase that Berlin refuses and that Paris supports.
On the reform of the electricity market, the French Prime Minister said: ” We must go further “saying work” flat out to solutions. The common responses to be provided in Europe to the massive investment plan of the United States still have to be found.
And the political agreement on the European combat aircraft project (SCAF) still seems to come up against difficulties between the industrialists Dassault and Airbus, even if Olaf Scholz declared himself “ confident “.
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