French President Emmanuel Macron has concluded a three-day visit to Germany in which he warned that peace and prosperity were “in jeopardy”.
The trip, the first state visit by a French president to Germany in 24 years, saw Macron address an audience in the city of Dresden where he said Europe’s future could be at stake from Russia’s war on Ukraine and the rise of far right ideology.
Speaking just two weeks ahead of the European Union elections, Macron said: “Everywhere in our democracies these ideas thrive, pushed by the extremes and in particular the far right.”
“This ill wind is blowing in Europe, so let us wake up.”
Macron began the final day of his visit in the city of Münster, where he was presented with the International Award of the Peace of Westphalia by his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The German president said: “Thank you very much, dear Emmanuel. Those three days (of the state visit) just flew by.
“I believe we were able to show that a lot unites Germans and French people and the affection is also based on the fact that we are different.”
Walking arm in arm, Macron told Steinmeier that he hoped their personal friendship and that of their two countries would “inspire many others”, adding “it’s up to us.”
Both presidents also agreed that Ukraine be allowed to strike military targets inside Russia.
Macron said: "I think that we should allow them to neutralize the military sites from which missiles are fired and basically the military sites from which Ukraine is attacked, but we must not allow them to hit other targets inside Russia, obviously civilian infrastructures and other military targets."
Speaking just two weeks ahead of the European Union elections, Macron said: “Everywhere in our democracies these ideas thrive, pushed by the extremes and in particular the far right.”
“This ill wind is blowing in Europe, so let us wake up.”
Macron began the final day of his visit in the city of Münster, where he was presented with the International Award of the Peace of Westphalia by his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The German president said: “Thank you very much, dear Emmanuel. Those three days (of the state visit) just flew by.
“I believe we were able to show that a lot unites Germans and French people and the affection is also based on the fact that we are different.”
Walking arm in arm, Macron told Steinmeier that he hoped their personal friendship and that of their two countries would “inspire many others”, adding “it’s up to us.”
Both presidents also agreed that Ukraine be allowed to strike military targets inside Russia.
Macron said: "I think that we should allow them to neutralize the military sites from which missiles are fired and basically the military sites from which Ukraine is attacked, but we must not allow them to hit other targets inside Russia, obviously civilian infrastructures and other military targets."
Source: Reuters/DW
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