German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron met Thursday at the French presidential retreat on the Mediterranean Sea to discuss the post-COVID-19 economy and other pressing issues facing the European Union. Macron and his wife, Brigitte, greeted Merkel on the grounds of Fort De Bregancon, on the French Riveria — France’s southeastern coast on the Mediterranean. The leaders exchanged bows instead of handshakes, posed for a socially distant photo op, then put on masks as they went inside for their talks. An official with Macron’s administration said, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, the talks were expected to include Lebanon, the contested election in Belarus, Mali’s coup d’etat and tensions between Greece and Turkey. The two leaders led discussions last month that resulted in EU leaders agreeing to an $887 billion COVID-19 recovery plan designed to revive the economies of its member states. Attention is now turning to what else the duo can deliver in the time left before they get distracted by the German chancellor’s succession and France’s 2022 presidential election.
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