Macron, Merkel to meet ahead of EU summit: French presidency

PARIS: Emmanuel Macron will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, days after the French president set out plans for ambitious EU reforms.

Macron's office told AFP the pair would meet in Estonia's capital Tallinn just ahead of a two-day summit gathering all 28 EU leaders, where the French leader's ideas will be high on the agenda.

Macron sees Merkel's backing as crucial for his plans to shake up the EU as it prepares for Britain's departure, which includes a finance minister, budget and parliament for the 19-member eurozone.

He set out his vision for a rebooted Europe in a speech at the Sorbonne university in Paris on Tuesday, describing the EU at present as "too weak, too slow, too inefficient".

He called for European countries to go much further in linking their economies, governments and armies, proposing a joint defence force as well as new agencies for asylum and innovation and ideas for tax reform. 

The late-afternoon meeting in Tallinn will come ahead of a dinner Thursday where all 28 EU leaders will be given an open forum for a "frank and informal" discussion, according to EU President Donald Tusk.

Macron, who was in the eastern city of Lyon on Wednesday meeting with Italian Prime Minister Gentiloni, was due to stay there until Thursday -- but will cut short the trip in order to meet with Merkel.