France President Macron greets German Vice Chancellor with a namaste

Germany’s vice-chancellor Angela Merkel and France president Emmanuel Macron greeted each other with a namaste or folded hands when they met at Fort de Bregancon in Paris on Thursday to discuss issues concerning Europe and coronavirus relief measures.

The world leaders greeting each other with the ‘namaste’ comes as Europe continues to struggle with curbing the coronavirus pandemic. French first-lady Brigitte Macron also was seen exchanging bows with the German head of state in a video shared on French president Macron’s Twitter account. Following this, both leaders donned their surgical masks and began the discussions regarding crucial issues that concern the European Union.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis, anti-government protests in Belarus following the re-election of Alexander Lukashenko, Lebanon port blasts, Mali’s coup d’etat and the deteriorating health condition of Vladimir Putin critic and political prisoner Alexander Navalny.

According to Reuters, Macron and Merkel also discussed Sino-European relations post Covid-19 and Britiain’s exit from the European Union. France also called the meeting a “testimony to the exceptional level of Franco-German engagement on the bilateral, European, and international level.”