French President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's conservative chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz agreed during a meeting in Paris to open a new chapter in Franco-German relations, a source close to Merz told Reuters.

French President Emmanuel Macron will dine with Germany's chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Wednesday evening, the Elysee said. The palace said the two leaders would meet for a "working dinner" but gave no further detail.

Germany's likely next chancellor, a conservative, Friedrich Merz warned Europe should seek "independence" from the US as it grapples with the Trump administration's lack of support for Ukraine. France's Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron made very clear he believes Putin was "the aggressor" in Ukraine.

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

After securing the largest share in the German election, Friedrich Merz has met with President Emmanuel Macron in the French capital. The pair discussed European security in the face of a shifting US policy on Ukraine.

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.

As Donald Trump raises questions over security, Germany’s election winner and the French leader want to safeguard the continent’s influence.