French President Emmanuel Macron will receive German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris on Thursday evening, days before a visit by China’s president and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.
The Élysée Palace said that the meeting between Macron and Scholz would be a private dinner. No further details were disclosed.
Xi is visiting France on Monday and Tuesday for the first time in almost five years as part of a trip to Europe.
Macron and Scholz are expected to agree on joint positions regarding Xi’s visit.
The German leader’s brief stop in Paris is likely part of an ongoing effort to clear up disagreements that have arisen between the capitals over Ukraine, trade, nuclear energy and other issues.
On Thursday, Berlin and Paris announced that Macron now plans a state visit to Germany from May 26 to 28, to make up for a state visit which was cancelled at short notice last year due to unrest in France.
Xi’s first stop in France on Monday will be Paris, where, in addition to bilateral talks with Macron, a three-way meeting with Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also planned, as announced by the Élysée Palace.
Scholz’s participation in the talks with Xi is not planned, but France is coordinating closely with Germany, it said.
Prior to Macron’s visit to China a year ago, the French president had also coordinated with Scholz in advance.