Meeting with Macron – Nehammer in Paris: spy scandal as ballast

The passion for boxing is something that French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) share. At today’s meeting in Paris, one can expect a verbal exchange of blows between the two heads of government. “In addition to the romanticized idea of ​​the French that Austria dances at balls, the clichéd image of the ‘third man’ prevails in Paris,” says political scientist Marie Krpata of the French Institute of International Relations in Paris. “Kron”.

Russia as a central issue
Vienna, the center of international espionage. And the recently revealed involvement of Austrian intelligence officials with Moscow makes the chancellor’s trip to Paris more difficult. The war between Russia and Ukraine will be the central topic at the Élysée on Thursday.

Both Macron and Nehammer had sought a political solution together with Vladimir Putin at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Nehammer traveled to Moscow to meet the Kremlin chief, while Macron worked extensively on Putin’s behalf. Both failed. While the French president made a U-turn in 2023 and is now taking offensive action against Putin, at least verbally, Nehammer is still looking for a diplomatic solution.

Different opinions
When it comes to economic issues, Austria is one of the ‘frugal’ groups in Europe, while Macron is even thinking out loud about whether the EU should take on joint debts for military aid to Ukraine – as it did during the Corona crisis . Topics such as migration, competitiveness and Europe as a business location are also discussed. So there is plenty of need for discussion. “The challenging geopolitical situation makes it necessary to coordinate closely within the EU,” the Chancellor said.