French President Emmanuel Macron and first lady Brigitte Macron welcome German Chancellor Angela Merkel for a meeting at the Fort de Bregancon, southern France, Thursday, August 20.
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READ MORE: The leaders of Germany and France are meeting Thursday at a Mediterranean retreat for talks on how to resuscitate Europe's economy without causing a new virus crisis, and on a growing number of global hot spots.
Instead of holding the talks in either country's capital, German Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to see Emmanuel Macron at the French presidential vacation home in Bregancon on the French Riviera.
Macron's office says the French leader is expected to push for more joint action between their countries on the political crisis in Belarus, the coup in Mali, and muscular actions by Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean.
A top priority for the talks is how and how fast to carry out the 750 billion Euro (887 billion US dollar) recovery plan adopted by European Union leaders in July to revive the economies of the world's biggest trading bloc after widespread virus lockdowns.
The leaders are also discussing the EU's talks with Britain on a post-Brexit trade deal, climate pledges under the European Green Deal, and reforming Europe's immigration and asylum rules, according to Macron's office.
The talks come as both France and Germany are seeing a rise in virus cases. (AP)
