New German Chancellor holds talks in Paris, Brussels

By SYLVIE CORBET and GEIR MOULSON

PARIS (AP) — New German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday held his first meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron as both nations are making efforts towards the de-escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Both leaders spoke in a joint news conference in Paris, during Scholz’s first visit abroad after his coalition government was sworn in earlier in the week. The German Chancellor is then heading to Brussels to meet with European Union and NATO officials. Scholz said “we all view the situation on the Ukrainian border with concern.” He added: “We’re clear that the inviolability of borders in Europe is one of the principles that all in Europe must accept for our common security.”