France-Germany: Leaders meet to defuse tensions

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for lunch yesterday, with the leaders hoping to pare back differences on energy and defence and revitalise the EU's key double act.

Both leaders were all smiles as Scholz climbed out of his black Mercedes in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace to shake hands, although the German appeared to sidestep Macron's attempts to put an arm around him.

Hackles have been raised on both sides since Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- less than three months after Scholz took office last December -- prompted crisis decisions taken under the pressure of the war and its knock-on effects.

Berlin's move to spend up to $200 billionsubsidising soaring gas prices and refusal to consider an EU-wide energy price cap nettled Paris and other European capitals, who fear the effect on their energy costs.