Joint support for Ukraine by German Chancellor Scholz and French President Macron
During a Franco-German defense and security council meeting in Meseberg on Tuesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron demonstrated their unified support for Ukraine. This significant event occurred on the final day of Macron’s historic state visit to Germany, highlighting the deepening cooperation between the two European leaders.
Chancellor Scholz, who had previously been adamant about Ukraine not using Western weapons to strike Russian targets, has shown a shift in stance. He now aligns more closely with Macron’s position, reflecting a compromise on the contentious issue of EU defense. This marks a pivotal moment for Berlin, as Scholz has traditionally been hesitant to allow Ukraine to strike across the border, fearing it could escalate into a direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia.
Scholz expressed a more open approach regarding military aid to Ukraine, stating that Kyiv should be permitted to target military sites within Russia, while avoiding other targets. He emphasized that under international law, Ukraine has the right to defend itself if attacked. “Ukraine has every possibility to do this, under international law,” Scholz affirmed. “It must be said clearly, if Ukraine is attacked, it can defend itself”.
Despite this newfound openness, Germany continues to withhold long-range missiles (exceeding 500 km) from Ukraine, a stance not shared by Paris and Washington D.C. This decision remains a point of divergence among the allies, especially as Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of “serious consequences” if Western countries allow Ukraine to use their weapons against Russian targets.
Macron about the Ukraine issue
Macron, on his part, aimed to mend fences with Berlin, especially after Germany initiated a European anti-missile shield project without involving France. This effort to reconcile comes amidst various other disagreements, such as economic relations with China and the United States. Apart from the Ukraine issue, Macron advocates for greater European independence in defense and seeks to protect the economy from ‘unfair’ competition from China and the U.S., whereas Scholz emphasizes the importance of transatlantic ties and trade relations with China.
The overarching goal of Macron’s visit was to project a united Franco-German front as both leaders brace for potential defeats to far-right parties in the upcoming European elections. In France, the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) leads the polls with 33%, compared to Macron’s party, Renaissance, which stands at 15.5%. In Germany, according to PolitPro’s latest election trend, the Christian democratic and conservative alliance CDU/CSU leads with just over 30%, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has surpassed Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), standing at 15.8% and 14.3% respectively.
Marie Krpata, a researcher at the Committee for Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) in Paris, noted that Macron’s visit to Germany is also a strategic move to reinforce his pro-European stance amid the rising influence of far-right parties.
