New German Chancellor holds talks in Paris, Brussels

New German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday held his first meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron as both nations are making efforts towards the de-escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine

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New German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday held his first meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron as both nations are making efforts towards the de-escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine

The leaders spoke in a joint news conference in Paris, during Scholz's first visit abroad after his coalition government was sworn in earlier in the week. The German Chancellor is then heading to Brussels to meet with European Union and NATO officials.

The talks come as U.S. President Joe Biden this week moved to take a more direct role in diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia. In recent years, France and Germany have played the mediator role in the conflict.

Biden has pressed Russia’s Vladimir Putin to step back after a massive buildup of troops on the Ukraine border that has created growing concern in Washington and European capitals, as well as in Ukraine itself.

“We all view the situation on the Ukrainian border with concern,” Scholz said. “We’re clear that the inviolability of borders in Europe is one of the principles that all in Europe must accept for our common security. … This rule goes for everyone.”

“Our first goal is to avoid any useless tension,” Macron said. “Our will ... Europeans and Americans, is to show that we are very vigilant about the situation, but that there must be no escalation, in any way."

Scholz, a 63-year-old center-left politician, became on Wednesday Germany’s ninth post-World War II chancellor, opening a new era for the European Union’s most populous nation and largest economy after Angela Merkel’s 16-year tenure. His government is composed of a coalition of his center-left Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats.

The leaders discussed a broad range of bilateral and European issues, including the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Macron has made boosting growth and jobs a priority of the French presidency of the European Union Council, which starts in January for six months.

Scholz, who was previously Germany’s finance minister, noted that he and Macron had both been involved in showing “what is possible in Europe when we work together. " Europe’s 750 billion-euro ($846 billion) pandemic recovery fund “is an emphatic symbol of the possibilities connected with this,” he said.

“And so I am very confident that we can solve the tasks that lie ahead of us — this is about continuing to make possible and maintain the growth that we set on track with the recovery fund, and at the same time providing for solid finances,” Scholz said.