Emmanuel Macron received the Argentine President Javier Milei on Thursday afternoon at the Elysée Palace in what was announced as a "private meeting," reclassified on the spot as an official visit. Milei is in Paris as part of the Argentine Week and has been involved in more economic than political meetings.
A spokesperson for the Elysée stated that the reason for the meeting between the two presidents was to "maximize France's interests with an important country in Latin America for both economic and commercial reasons as well as strategic reasons," specifically regarding the supply of critical minerals such as lithium and copper.
Milei arrived with a large delegation, including several ministers, mainly interested in consolidating and expanding the presence of French companies in his country. They also discussed the Mercosur agreement, despite France's reservations about its impact on the agricultural sector.
The Argentine President arrived in the French capital preceded by his harsh criticisms of the EU for its "perverse welfare state" and "terrible migration problem," and after having described the UN as "a useless organization" and "a caste of parasites."
The Elysée tried to keep a low profile on the visit, criticized by left-wing parties and apparently ignored by the right in the midst of the presidential campaign (the lack of harmony with Le Pen was evident when the leader of the National Rally stood up and left in the middle of a speech by Milei in 2024 at the Europa Viva event).
Sources from the Elysée stated before the meeting that Macron was willing to tell Milei that "the EU plays a decisive role on the international scene."