Germany and France, the EU's largest economies, have long been seen as the driving force of European integration, despite occasional policy differences.
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00:00 President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Germany to the first state visit by a French head
00:06 of state in 24 years.
00:09 The three-day trip is meant to underline the strong ties between France and Germany.
00:14 The visit was originally meant to take place last July, but was postponed due to rioting
00:19 in France after a teenage boy was killed by French police.
00:24 While Macron frequently visits Germany, as Berlin and Paris coordinate their positions
00:29 on the EU and foreign policy, this is the first state visit with full pomp since Jacques
00:35 Chirac came in 2000.
00:37 The visit comes only days ahead of the upcoming European elections, which are to take place
00:43 between June 6 and 9.
00:47 Stakes are high as Europe is challenged more than ever by the ongoing conflicts such as
00:52 the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, but it is also facing global warming.