Friedrich Merz, Germany's likely next head of government, is already trying to shape foreign policy. He is especially concerned about Germany's ailing relationships with France and Poland.

Trump's rhetoric at the time sparked a major debate over the future of European security. Macron, who also took office in 2017, began to propose the formation of a "true European army" as an alternative to NATO and famously warned of the "brain death" of the alliance in 2019.

The winner of Germany's parliamentary elections has travelled to Paris to meet the French president for a working dinner on Wednesday. View on euronews

Plan to deliver missiles to Ukraine to be raised in talks between Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders on Sunday