MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei thanks Macron for France's support before the IMF

Milei's presence at an event focused on environmental issues came as a surprise

Before flying to Israel, Argentine President Javier Milei met in Nice this week with his French colleague Emmanuel Macron during the United Nations Oceans Conference to discuss the long-stalled Mercosur-European Union trade agreement.

Macron insisted on his reluctance to sign it, citing French farmers' demands. However, the South American leader thanked him for backing Argentina’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In addition, he explored possible French investments in Argentina, particularly in critical metals.

Given Milei's known reluctance to discuss environmental issues, his presence at the event came as a surprise. However, he chose to participate at Macron's request. The forum was attended by more than 70 heads of state, including Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, with whom Milei does not see eye to eye.

Joining the Libertarian leader were PRO Congressman Fernando Iglesias, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, and Argentina's Ambassador to France, Ian Sielecki.

“In Nice, at the United Nations conference on the ocean, the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, came to greet President Javier Milei and Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, to reiterate the importance of definitively approving the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union and to ratify his personal commitment on the issue,” Iglesias posted on X.