Intervention from Merz comes as Putin says peace talks are ‘difficult work’ but Trump insists Russian president does want a deal
Meanwhile, as we were sleeping, France’s Emmanuel Macron has met with China’s Xi Jinping, urging him to “work together” on ending the war in Ukraine and broader geopolitical and economic issues.
“Now, more than ever, dialogue between China and France is vital,” Macron told his host during their Thursday meeting at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Reuters reported.
“I propose a positive threefold agenda for our relations, one of geopolitical stability, of economic rebalancing, and of environmental sustainability,” he said.
Reuters noted that the French president seeks to bolster his foreign policy credentials and secure commercial deals for French industry in a bid to revitalise his political legacy in the final years of his term after a tumultuous summer, and ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
