Orbán meets Macron in Paris: here is what they talked about

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the swift and full implementation of recommendations contained in a report on European competitiveness at a meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the Elysee Palace, the French presidential office said on Wednesday.

At a working dinner on Tuesday evening, the two leaders exchanged views on European matters, focusing on the current Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union, on continued support for Ukraine, and the security and defence challenges, the statement said. They also discussed preparations for a summit of the European Political Community to be held in Budapest on Nov 7, it added.

Macron and Orbán on 22 October 2024. Photo: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán

Macron and Orbán also discussed preparations for an informal meeting of the European Council to be held in Budapest on Nov 8, centered on European competitiveness. The meeting will be attended by former Italian Prime Minister and former President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Mario Draghi, who wrote the strategic analysis on European competitiveness.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations between Hungary and France. Macron said France was ready to intensify its partnership with Hungary in several strategic areas, including defence and security issues such as energy delivery and nuclear energy, and wants to develop bilateral trade in the framework of the EU internal market, the statement said.

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