President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe today presented the team with which they want to start governing the country. I am especially looking forward to working with Jean‑Yves Le Drian. In him, we have a partner with vast political experience who has earned great acclaim, most recently as Defence Minister. What we need to do now is keep moving Europe forward together, take the initiative and get the Franco-German engine revving at top speed. That is the goal we share and I am sure that we can continue seamlessly with the wonderful cooperation with him.

I extend a warm invitation to him that we meet for talks very soon.

We want now to develop concrete projects and proposals very quickly so that we can chalk up the first successes at the Franco-German Council of Ministers in July.