French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz don’t seem to be able to replicate the same close bond shared by their predecessor.
The two European leaders fail to agree on a number of key issues at present, from Chinese electric car imports to the support to offer to Ukraine, according to a European Union diplomat.
They told the Telegraph: “The relationship isn’t really working at the moment. The Germans think the French are not doing enough on Ukraine, despite talking a big game, and they are right.”
Mr Macron and Mr Scholz are also seemingly failing to see eye to eye on the latest foreign policy crisis sparked by the Yemenite Houthis in the Red Sea.
Weeks after members of the Iran-backed group started terrorising cargo ships in the Red Sea – threatening the crews’ safety and international trade – the UK and the US carried out joint airstrikes on several Houthi targets in Yemen.
This action left the EU dramatically split. In the immediate aftermath, Germany was among the EU country members to politically back the airstrikes, while France was in the faction opposing to the signing of a joint statement supporting them.
Mr Macron’s government is believed to be trying to preserve its relations with Iran and present itself as a possible mediator in the region.
Nevertheless, France did condemn the actions of the Iran-backed rebel group and has vessels protecting French shipping in the area where the Houthis are active.
Mr Scholz has expressed willingness to expand the French-led EMASoH (European Maritime Awareness in The Strait of Hormuz) anti-piracy mission in the strip of water separating Iran from the UAE and would reportedly commit its Class 124 frigate Hessen to it.
Paris hasn’t yet responded to the plan being pushed by Berlin. Calls to expand a similar mission taking place in the Indian Ocean were vetoed by Spain in December.
Josep Borell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, is now working on a plan for a new, bespoke mission in the Red Sea to be carried out by the bloc’s members should Mr Macron bar an expansion of EMASoH.
The Houthis, a rebel group controlling Yemen’s capital city Sana’a and parts of the country’s western and northern areas, have been attacking and threatening several commercial vessels in the Red Sea since mid-November. Among their most dangerous actions, they have seized a cargo ship and their crewmembers and fired rockets at US vessels.
Their stated intention is to show support to Palestinians as Israel and Iran-backed Hamas wage war in the Gaza Strip.
Following last week’s airstrikes by the US and UK, the group vowed fierce retaliation, raising fears of a wider conflict in the region.
