French President Emmanuel Macron is to hold talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, on the final day of his three-day state visit to Germany.

They would visit along with government ministers from both countries.

Their talks would centre on European competition policy and cooperation in defence.

Before the talks are held in the government guest house in Schloss Meseberg, north of Berlin, Mr Macron will be awarded the International Peace of Westphalia Prize in the western city of Münster.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is to speak at the ceremony in Münster City Hall, marking the formal end to Mr Macron’s state visit, the first by a French president in 24 years.

The talks in Meseberg pick up the political aspects of the Franco-German relationship, which has been problematic over the past two years of the Scholz government.

Also, the differences over Ukraine and over economic links with the United States and China would be looked into.

With Mr Macron calling for greater European autonomy and measures to protect the European economy from U.S. and Chinese competition, Mr Scholz maintained Germany’s traditional transatlantic posture and sought to retain German access to Chinese markets.

Mr Scholz has also been deeply sceptical of Mr Macron’s suggestion that European ground troops might become involved in the Ukraine War.

Peace activists are planning a protest in Münster to demonstrate against arms deliveries to Ukraine, and anti-nuclear protesters are to demonstrate against France’s plans to expand its nuclear power stations.

“We are counting on several hundred participants,’’ police spokesman Jan Schabacker said ahead of the ceremony.

But he added that police were expecting the protests to pass off peacefully. 

(dpa/NAN)