Paris: In a bid to strengthen relations between the two leading European nations, French President Emmanuel Macron met the new visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris. This was Scholz's prime foreign visit since taking the reins from his predecessor Angela Merkel on Wednesday.

In a Press conference Macron said that during initial exchanges, there was "a solid convergence of views" and "a desire to make our two countries work together" The leaders talked over the future of the European Union (EU) with regards to immigration, new energies, border protection and relations with other states. France on Thursday presented its agenda for the upcoming French presidency of the Council of the European Union.

It plans to review the EU's budget policy and deficit regulations, so as  to promote post-Covid-19 economic recovery. The German Chancellor said that "it is a question of keeping up this growth, which was engendered by the stimulus pact." "At the same time, we must work on the solidity of our finances," said Scholz.

The Chancellor's coalition of his Social Democratic Party, the Free Democratic Party, and the Greens unlike the previous German government, has showed it could agree to a reform.

After Paris, Scholz arrived in Brussels later on Friday, where he met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EC President Charles Michel and NATO Sec-General Jens Stoltenberg.

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